Johannesburg - Joburgers braved the early-morning temperatures on Friday to form part of a convoy carrying relief aid for the flood-stricken people of KwaZulu-Natal.
The organisation We are South Africans (Wasa), through its charitable foundation, The People of South Africa Foundation, joined forces with the Robin Hood Foundation, Green Pastures Tabernacle, Creflo Dollar Ministries (USA), Community Circle Home SA, Redemption Church, Future City Fourways, Capitec, The Mattress Warehouse, Toyota Knights, Hertz and Roundtable of Southern Africa to lend a hand to the residents of KZN whose lives were turned upside down by the recent floods.
In April, days of heavy rain across the province led to deadly floods. Particularly hard-hit were areas in and around Durban. At least 448 people died across the province, with an unknown number of people missing. Several thousand homes were damaged or destroyed.
Critical infrastructure, including major roads, transportation, communication, and electrical systems, were also impacted by the flooding, and the damage greatly hampered recovery and relief efforts. It is one of the deadliest natural disasters in the country in the 21st century, and the deadliest storm since the 1987 floods. The floods caused more than R17 billion in infrastructure damage. A national state of disaster was declared.
Wasa CEO Gilbert Martin said their call for help has not fallen on deaf ears and South Africans from all walks of life chipped in.
“The farmers of Christiana donated nine tons of potatoes, the farmers of Robertson donated 36 tons of butternuts, the Mattress Warehouse donated 100 mattresses valued at R350 000. Our members raised R172 000 and this allowed us to purchase 500 food parcels, six tons of maize, 10 tons of water and 16 tons of other goods,” he said.
Martin added that through their partnerships with Toyota Knights, Roundtable and other logistic companies, they collectively spent R2 million to deliver the donations to 260 communities and organisations across KZN.
“Wasa provided approximately 230 000 meals to people affected by the first floods. And now we are going to do it again. Senwes and Bayer donated maize. Not many, but it’s a sign of the times economically. We received 62 tons of cooldrink from the Do Good Movement Centurion. Alberton High School and Joburgers donated about eight tons of clothes, toys and homeware,” he said.
Martin said KZN is in turmoil and they also have mega projects running and starting in the Eastern and Northern Cape and they continue to assist 300 other communities around the country.
“There are three lessons we wish to bring across in this: one – that the people of South Africa are united; two – that we learn that we must help each other; and three – to boost tourism locally,” said Martin.
Martin said Wasa is the largest civil society movement in South Africa, reaching 17 million South Africans. Its charitable arm, The People of South Africa Foundation, has been helping countless communities throughout South Africa since 2007.
“We have many donors and partners and our goal is to assist as many people as possible in our country plagued by political division, riots and also the economic downturn due to government mismanagement and corruption. We support more than 500 communities in South Africa and partnered with reputable organisations around South Africa and the world,” he said.
Anyone wishing to assist can do so via www.wearesouthafricans.com.