Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE Grain Marketing Board has been failing to deliver grain to depots in Matabeleland South Province under the drought relief programme as transporters are refusing to be paid in local currency.

This emerged during a provincial taskforce committee meeting on Wednesday. Some districts have gone for almost one month without receiving grain under the drought relief programme which has left beneficiaries stranded.

Matabeleland South provincial social welfare officer, Mr Criswell Nyakudya said the province was supposed to receive 3 419 tonnes of grain in July but as of Tuesday it had received only 876 tonnes.

“This month the distribution of grain under the drought relief programme has been very low because of this backlog. This is really worrisome as some beneficiaries are not receiving the maize yet they are in urgent need of food aid,” he said.

Mr Nyakudya said nothing was distributed in Mangwe and Matobo districts this month. He said only Insiza district received some grain this week but was not enough to cover all the beneficiaries. The meeting heard that transporters were demanding payment in foreign currency hence few transporters were moving the grain. — @DubeMatutu