By Own Correspondent|Business tycoon Frank Buyanga owned African Medallion Group (AMG) yesterday donated basic food essentials to over one hundred Zimbabwean families currently living in South Africa.

AMG was responding to desperate request by the Zimbabwean community for immediate relief as they are failing to put food on the table owing to Covid-19 and national lockdown imposed by South African government to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

“We have come here today to answer the call made by our African brothers and sisters from Zimbabwe currently plying their trade across various sectors of industry in South Africa, tremendously affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic,” said Itai Maunganidze, CEO of the AMG, whose mission has been to provide food relief to communities hard-hit by the
coronavirus and subsequent lockdown.

“The commitment to serve our communities including those from our neighbouring countries has never been more important as we collectively, as a continent, try navigate the unprecedented challenges posed by this global pandemic. COVID-19 is affecting most people quite harshly, with some out of employment and sources of income. So our work here today is
to instill hope and care amongst the Zimbabwean people as government encourages us all to stay home.

“The expressions of appreciation on the faces of the beneficiaries shows that this was a much needed relief,” added Maunganidze.

AMG initially said it planned to spend R10 million on short term relief programmes including food handouts and medical equipment donations, but Maunganidze said they were increasing this to R25 million.

“The initiative is for short term relief for people. A large section of the population is desperate, and they want food now, they are not working and not earning income. We are talking about people like domestic workers, gardeners, restaurant workers and others that can’t get work now to get paid weekly or monthly,” Maunganidze said.