Sovereign Metals constructs boreholes for Malingunde community

By Deborah Manda

ASX-listed resources group Sovereign Metals has constructed two boreholes for Kumalindi and Ndumila villages and repaired one for Chiyamika Village in Malingunde area in Lilongwe where it is prospecting for flake graphite.

Sovereign Country Manager Andries Kruger said at the official hand over of the boreholes that the company has executed the works in response to a request from members of community, who have been complaining of lack of access to portable water.

Group Village Heads Pindeni and Chitsulo approached us to assist them with boreholes as their subjects used to walk long distances to fetch portable water so Sovereign, as a socially responsible corporate citizen, decided to help. Today we are very happy to be handing over the boreholes to the community,

said Kruger.

Member of Parliament for the area Peter Dimba said that he is very grateful to the company for the boreholes adding that he expects Sovereign to implement more development projects in the area as part of corporate social responsibility.

We expect to have a community development agreement in place so that we, people of this area, adequately benefit from this treasure beneath our ground,

said Dimba.

Guest of honour at the function Lilongwe District Council Chairperson John Kawinga said the boreholes will go a long way in providing portable water which is very significant at this time when the country has been hit by an outbreak of cholera.

Kawinga said:

The Council is very thankful for the timely gesture from Sovereign because access to safe water is a right for everyone.

I urge the communities to take good care of the boreholes.

said Kawinga.

He also touched on the issue of compensation for the people affected by the project assuring them that they will get their full compensation package when the company starts mining as in exploration stage their entitlement is just a disturbance allowance.

Sovereign Metals operates in Malawi through its subsidiary Sovereign Services.

The company has been conducting exploration at the Malingunde site which has confirmed the presence of sizeable quantities of high grade flake graphite, and is now planning to launch a feasibility study.

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This piece was initially published in Malawi’s Mining & Trade Review Issue Number 58 (February 2018).

The full edition is available for download here. This monthly publication is edited by Marcel Chimwala.