36 INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT 2022 Communities NCT continue to acknowledge the need for a structured approach to interact with communities living on and adjacent to some of its farms. To assist estate managers with regular communication and to better assess community needs and possible conflicts, a community liaison officer was appointed. With the prevailing economic situation impacting negatively on communities, NCT’s investment in these rural areas is important to unlock possible employment and contracting opportunities and to provide communities with some appropriate and practical basic needs and infrastructure support. NCT responded to some of the land-related challenges by launching a social and labour plan in which the plight and expectations of communities residing in and adjacent to NCT-owned farms have been identified and better understood. Several key outcomes were achieved: • Water tanks and connections to pipelines and boreholes have been provided to solve the problem of access to clean water and sanitation. NCT also facilitated connections to local municipal power supply. • The construction of waiting areas at a clinic and pension pay-out point to provide shelter for patients and pensioners attending. • Food parcels were distributed to staff and families living in and around its northern estates following the July civil unrest. • Sport kits were presented to soccer and netball teams participating in a two-day local sports event. • As part of its youth development initiative, NCT donated computers to two high schools. Provision of school desks also formed part of this initiative. • Learnerships in animal and plant production were awarded to learners from neighbouring communities as part of an on-the-job training initiative. High-achieving learners were awarded bursaries to a technical college with work experience offered at an NCT wood chipping mill. Furthermore, NCT’s social investment programmes impacted on 23 communities in the form of much needed: • hospital beds and ventilators • personal protective equipment • food hampers to communities and schools/creches • mobile wash basins for early childhood development creches SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
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