By Colani Khulekani Maseko.

MATSAPHA:Wayne Lovendale,the Managing Director(MD) at Southern Star says,women empowerment forms part of the company’s policy and therefore,they have an interest on issues affecting women.

The Managing Director was speaking on Friday afternoon,here at the Southern Star Headquarters in Matsapha during a handover of fifty thousand Rands(R50,000.00) donation to the Eswatini Action Group Against Abuse(SWAGAA), an anti-Gender Based Violence(GBV) and women rights advocacy organization.

The donation will assist SWAGAA with fuel worth the said amount in traveling across the country addressing issues of GBV.

\"As it has always been our policy to promote women,the transport has always been taken as a men’s world when in actual fact as you can see, it’s no longer a men’s world.Women have got equal opportunities and at Southern Star and Unitrans our partners, we have embarked on a drive to create more opportunities for women,” said the Southern Star Managing Director.

Tokkie Hou,the Business Women Eswatini Chairperson thanked Southern Star for what she described as a wonderful donation towards fighting Gender Based Violence(GBV).

“We are really honored and we appreciate what they have done. So now,we are sending a word to all companies that are in eSwatini, lets fight together, donate in whatever way that you can to assist the women who are affected. As Business Women Eswatini we are really touched by what is happening in the country, that’s why we are all up and saying, please assist where you can,”said the Chairperson of the Business Women Eswatini.

Speaking to this Swaziland News after accepting the donation, Nonhlanhla Dlamini, the Executive Director of the Eswatini Action Group Against Abuse(SWAGAA)thanked Southern Star and further appealed for more support from other companies to assist in the fight against GBV.

“We are grateful to Southern Star for this donation and maybe,one can take this opportunity to appeal for support from other companies. As we are approaching the festive season,companies are analyzing their profits and we can assure them that,if they support SWAGAA,they wouldn’t be wasting their resources because for the past thirty(30)years,SWAGAA has been fighting Gender Based Violence(GBV) and also providing support for victims of abuse or violence”, said the SWAGAA Executive Director.

On another note,Gugu Dlamini,a truck driver at Southern Star who was  interviewed by this publication within the company premises while behind the steering,thanked the company for giving her an opportunity to work and be a truck driver.

“As you can see me behind the steering,this should be an encouragement to other women that as women we are capable of driving such a big truck”,she said.