PRISCA MANYIWA-MASUKU

REDCLIFF – Redcliff Mayor, Vincent Shangwa Masiiwa has told The Mirror that he has confronted Chinese cement making company, Livetouch over pollution that is affecting Stoneclare residents.
His engagement follows complaints by residents that they are exposed to massive dust emissions but they benefit nothing as a community from the company.
Residents are clamouring for the Chinese company to at least be involved in the maintenance of roads and building of infrastructure in the area. They accused Livetouch of destroying roads and are not tarring any.
Masiiwa said Livetouch had promised to solve the problem of dust emissions. In the area of socio-corporate responsibility, Masiiwa said that Livetouch had pledged to build a community clinic in Rutendo and so far the company had built two classroom blocks at Mafidhi Primary School.
Livetouch spokesperson, George Makonese said they are carrying out several CSR projects benefitting the community.
“We have done a lot in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility in Redcliff and particularly for Stoneclare. We have employed youth, constructed classroom blocks at Mafidhi Primary and we support council’s monthly clean-up campaigns. We have done a lot that the local authority is aware of.
“It is not true that our company is emitting dust to the community because we are the cleanest cement factory in the country. There are no dust emissions at our plant,” he said.
The Combined Redcliff Residents Association Trust (CORRA) is particularly unhappy with the little that the community is benefitting from the Chinese company.
“We are not benefitting anything from Livetouch. All we get is exposure to dangerous dust. The company is not ploughing back anything,” said a resident who declined to be named.