Current and former mineworkers will benefit from R1m  donated by the Ubank and Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC) towards Covid-19 relief efforts.

This comes as the two companies announced that they have partnered together to donate R2m to combat the negative financial impacts Covid-19 have brought to some South Africans.

Another  R1m will be contributed to the solidarity fund. 

Ubank chairperson Keshan Pillay said the R1m dedicated to support  mineworkers and their families will be in the  form of food parcels.

“Ubank will work with its partners, the MIC and national Union of Mineworkers (NUM),  to ensure that these funds are stretched to support as many families as possible.

"The contribution will benefit the needy families from areas where the mineworkers reside or come from as well as the poorest families from the labour intensive areas. Food parcels are the most effective route as this will help reduce unnecessary movement of our people and as such it will help mineworkers and their communities to abide by the lockdown protocols,” Pillay said.

MIC  chief executive officer Mary Bomela said the organisation  recognises the hardship the Covid-19  will bring to their beneficiaries.

“Through the mineworkers development agency, we will ensure that the collective contribution is effectively administered to ensure that we do our part to relieve food shortages for mineworkers, their families and surrounding communities,” Bomela said.

NUM general secretary David Sipunzi said they saluted the  alliance between Ubank and MIC as it was directed at the most vulnerable.