BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA PUBLIC Service and Social Welfare minister Paul Mavima on Monday told Parliament that government had put in place measures to upgrade the lives of the San community through provision of clothing, food and learning materials.
Speaking before the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on Human Rights chaired by Sydney Sekeramayi on Monday, Mavima said: “There is a proposal to find a way for the San in Bululima, Tsholotsho to regularly meet and share their experiences as a way to share their cultural traditions and heritage. From a social welfare perspective, in the short term there has been clothing that has been sent in the communities including footwear, blankets, foodstuffs and books.”
He said in the long term, government would construct modern housing units for them and schools, while they will also be engaged to select their own leaders.
“There is also need for introduction of sustainable livelihoods like farming, rather than the hunter-gatherer livelihoods,” he said.
Mavima said market stalls will also be constructed to encourage marketing of crops.
The San community inhabits remote parts of Tsholotsho and Bulilima districts in Matabeleland North and South provinces.
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