Progress Milling launches football club

Progress Milling launched a football club for workers during a ceremony at its mill in the city last Wednesday. During the occasion, seeds to be sown during the next planting season, were also handed to a group of small scale farmers from rural areas.
Progress Milling Corporate Communications Director Masenya Masenya welcomed the guests who included Member of the Polokwane Mayoral Committee for Sport, Arts, Culture and Special Focus Josephine Maja and said that the aim of the initiative to launch a football club is to engage communities by competing with local football teams in the rural areas. “The communities should be aware of the existence of Progress Milling and the products that the company offers. That will help to remove the skepticism that they apparently have about Progress Milling. We also want to use sport as counseling therapy for workers due to Progress Milling being under rescue and also bridge the gap between management and the workers,” Masenya said.
“Providing seeds to the farmers is part of the company’s support to the Limpopo Growth and Development Strategy. It will ensure that grain produced in the province find a way into the main stream economy, help with job creation through the value chain and ensure that procurement of raw material contributes to the well-being of communities,” Masenya said.
“Progress Milling’s turnaround strategy is alive and well and we want to send a message to the community that the company will, as in the past, give back to the community that has supported us for more than 80 years,” Progress Milling General Manager Luke Bronkhorst said during the handing over of bags of maize seed to small scale farmers.
“A 10 kg bag of seed can yield one hectare of maize,” Bronkhorst explained.
In conclusion, Maja wished the football club well and pledged the municipality’s support if it may be required.

Story and photos: BARRY VILJOEN
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