By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –
ZAMBIA’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba has called on Zambians living in that country to form one body that will collectively represent their interests.
Mr Mwamba said that it was important that legitimacy for whatever body that claimed to represent Zambians in South Africa was derived from across the country.
He said the existing regional associations should unite so that they could have a strengthened voice.
“You can have your branches or regional bodies but there is need for all these to be affiliated to a central body which will comprise individuals who will be recognised as the national leadership across South Africa” Mr Mwamba said.
Mr Mwamba said the mission wanted an association that encompasses all because it would make the mission’s work easier.
He said that Government was concerned about the hardships Zambians go through whenever issues of funerals, destitution and other social welfare related matters arose.
This is according to a statement issued by press secretary at the South African High Commission, Nicky Shabolyo.
Mr Mwamba was speaking at the weekend when he met Zambia Association in South Africa (ZASA) president, Ferdinand Simaanya in Pretoria.
He told Mr Simaanya that his association could act as a pool to collect resources and open a fund from which they can draw whenever one of them was in need.
“As Government, we will play our role to help wherever we can. The Mission is open to you and we want you to work with us as we have a lot of projects lined up,” Mr. Mwamba said.
Mr Simaanya said ZASA would on September, 1 2015, open a funeral fund with contributions from the membership.