Zimpapers Logo

Simba Jemwa, Online Reporter

MATOPOS Sailing Club has announced a recycling partnership with Umhlaba Waste Recycling which is set to become operational as of this coming weekend when the leisure resort welcomes Gemma Griffiths and continues over the summer season.

Griffiths who is fresh from a successful tour of Aussie is the star attraction at the Munch & Sip food fiesta which is an event aimed at appreciating the art of food and drink while being captivated by music.

The sailing club recently committed itself to ecological conservation and is developing an environmental campaign called The Green Blue. The company said it will engage the owners of the property, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to find ways to ensure that the surrounding ecological system is not affected by the activity at the sailing club.

Phillip Phiri, one of the founders and director of Modern Magnet Investments, the company that is leasing Matopos Sailing Club from Zimparks revealed that he and Umhlaba Waste Recycling founder, Qinisani Ndlovu have reached an agreement in principle to partner in a recycling project that is aimed at easing ecological damage at the leisure centre.

Phiri said his company had resolved to work with Umhlaba as part of the environmental management strategy that it is developing.

“The partnership with Umhlaba is important to us as we develop our environmental campaign called The Green Blue. This partnership will kick off with a pilot project during this coming weekend’s Munch and Sip event that will be headlined by Gemma Griffiths,” said Phiri.

“We met with Umhlaba and we agreed in principle to partner and work towards a recycling project,” he told Chronicle Showbiz.

Umhlaba boss, Ndlovu confirmed the tie-up: “Ultimately, our major goal as Umhlaba is to make sure that all plastics are collected, reused, and recycled. We want to reach the point where 100% of all packaging is collected, reused, or recycled – and where none of it ends up as litter within the environs of Matopos Sailing Club and beyond.

“Our partnership with Modern Magnet Investments forms an important part of this, as we seek to recognise people for recycling their used plastic bottles – and encourage others who may not be actively recycling to follow suit.”

“We are delighted with this initiative. We care about recycling and know that the people who frequent Matopos Sailing Club do too. This partnership is a great way to work together to protect our planet and is just one of the initiatives we are invested in to increase recycling at our attractions,” he added.

Ndlovu said the two parties had agreed to use the Munch and Sip event as a pilot of the project. Preparations for the event that will be held at Matopos Sailing Club on Sunday, Masuku said, are going on well with tickets already on sale. @RealSimbaJemwa