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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
ARTISTES who submitted their names for Covid-19 relief through the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) last month are set to start getting $300 monthly from Government starting this month.

This comes as President Mnangagwa has pledged to assist artistes whose industry has been greatly affected by the pandemic due to the lockdown.

In an interview, Permanent Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Simon Masanga said the money is being processed with artistes set to receive it starting this month.

“The fund is for people who have been affected by the lockdown induced by Covid-19. Artistes who will benefit are those who were surviving through their art and have lost an income.

“We have been working with officials from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation who submitted names of the artistes and we have since processed the payments,” said Masanga.

He said affected artistes should continue engaging with their parent ministry in order to get the relief funds.

“The registration was made from the parent ministry as they are the only ones who could verify that one is a legit artiste.

“Currently, through the relief, we’re paying $300 per month up to December which we hope will go a long way in assisting people who have lost an income.”

Masanga said the funds are being hewn from a $2,4 billion kitty set aside by Government to cover vulnerable households.

The $2,4 billion is part of the $18 billion Economic Rescue and Stimulus Package which was rolled out by President Mnangagwa on May 1 where he extended the national lockdown, albeit at Level 2.

The package is designed to scale-up production in all sectors of the economy in response to the adverse effects of Covid-19.-@mthabisi_mthire.