A GROUP of previously disadvantaged women in Lephalale, Limpopo, have had a good start to the year.

This happened when they were awarded a multimillion contract by the Medupi Power Station last week.

Dubbed the "Fedix Company", the women, mostly from poor family backgrounds or disabled communities, received a R400million catering contract to provide meals at Medupi Power Station.

The women will deliver food, drinks and mineral water to the company for three years.

The contract comes after years of protests by residents of Lephalale against the power station to force management to tap into local skills and companies as service providers for catering.

The protracted protests resulted in a number of protest marches by residents against the management of the power station until the matter was amicably resolved with the intervention of the Lephalale municipality.

Mayor Rosina Mogotlane played a pivotal role in ensuring that the two feuding bodies smoked the peace pipe by facilitating meetings between the Lephalale Local Black Business Forum and the company management.

Lephalale municipality spokesperson Nakampe Monyepao said: "Mogotlane arranged for a group of needy women and those who depended on government's social grants to form a consortium that would be given a contract."

Monyepao said Mogotlane facilitated talks with the power station management until the contract was awarded to them.

Community liaison officer for the Medupi Power Station Pat Seloba said the official handing over of the contract would be done this week.