President Cyril Ramaphosa has launched a Solidarity Fund for businesses, foundations, organisations and individuals to donate funds to help those individuals and communities most desperately in need of food and health care during the period of lock-down.
The Chamber is hosting a webinar with senior representatives of the Fund on Friday, 15th May at 08:30.
We are in difficult times globally due to COVID-19. Here in the UK, the UK government has been able to draw on resources to help the people, businesses and the economy, to “flatten the curve” of the disease and lessen the economic impact for many of us.
In South Africa, the government locked down the country quicker and more severely to protect the most vulnerable. The SA Government is not financially in the same position as the UK so Cyril Ramaphosa has brought private sector parties together and launched the Solidarity Fund for to receive donations, where the private sector working with NGO and Community bodies are getting food to help those most desperately in need during the period of lockdown. Their target is communities away from the main cities, as there the local communities are involved in supporting their vulnerable neighbours, therefore targeting rural towns and villages where help is not nearby but those communities are in greatest need and currently not likely to be supported any other way.
The SF this week is distributing food parcels to 260,000 families throughout South Africa that will each feed a family of four people for 10 days. The total cost of this initial program is approximately R170 million. Therefore each food parcel costs approximately R650.00 packaged and delivered to an identified needy and vulnerable recipient in a non-metropolitan destination.
If we were to raise R100,000 we would therefore be contributing to feed approximately 150 families, or 600 souls, for 10 days. This equates to about R17 per person per day, or about 0.75p.
Your contribution will go a long way.
Donate TodaySouth Africa is well behind the northern hemisphere in terms of infections and deaths from COVID-19, but the risk of lifting the lockdown too quickly could result in the containment failing and the virus impacting millions of people. So feeding the vulnerable during lockdown is the urgent action which is needed and where the SA Chamber is focusing its support effort.
The State President has called on all of us to assist with funding and has enlisted vast resources of the likes of Old Mutual, EY, PwC, ENSafrica, Yellowwoods Foundation, the DG Murray Trust, Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, Rothschild, Brunswick and many more.
Over and above funds, these entities are providing the pro bono resources needed to manage the sourcing and distribution of food, using private sector logistics companies. The Fund being used to source food and cover costs of distribution where private sector, NGO’s etc have not been able to step up on a pro bono basis.
The Solidarity Fund is a privately run Fund, with full accountability, and is not bound by public sector procurement requirements.
Some organisations and foundations have already committed some healthy sums to help South Africa, so that the economy and people’s lives can recover as quickly as possible. Separate to the Solidarity Fund, there are many initiatives that have come together to support business and SMME’s, in the form of loans, grants and donations.
The Solidarity Fund is where all of us can together make a meaningful difference to the lives of hungry individuals and communities of South Africans right now when they need it most.
The SA Chamber is providing pro bono services to support UK companies, charities, foundations or individuals who would like to be part of making a difference by donating, by making it simple to get UK funds quickly and effectively to SA.
If you would like the Chamber to ensure the highest value of Rands are realised for your Sterling, you can now donate through our dedicated webpage here
Alternatively, please email me on [email protected] or send the funds to bank account noted below. Please email me of Proof of Payment so you can receive your personalised thank you from the Fund and the Chamber and most importantly we can ensure your donation is quickly identified:
South African Chamber of Commerce UK Limited
Barclays Bank, Slough Trading Estate Branch, UK
Branch Code: 20-78-58
Bank Account Number: 7348 3673
Reference: SF (your name)
If you have funds in SA or wish to send funds directly, please remit to the Solidarity Fund account noted below. Please email me of Proof of Payment so you can receive your personalised thank you from the Fund and we too can thank you and know what we have influenced being raised:
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch Name: Sandton City
Account Name: Solidarity Fund
Account No: 023070021
Account Type: Current Account
Branch Code: 051001
Swift Code: SBZAZAJJ
Credit Cards can be used, please send us confirmation of your donations so the Fund and the Chamber can thank you:
Credit Card Donations through a secure online portal: www.solidarityfund.co.za
In kind offerings can be donated:
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +27 (0)860 001 001 (between 8am and 6pm SA time)
Please note:
For all monetary donations, please include your Identity/Company Registration/Trust number/Tax reference number, as applicable, to facilitate preparation of your Section 18A tax certificate.
As stated above, we ask you to please to send us an email us of proof of payment or share with us what you have done at another level, to [email protected] for both UK or SA direct transfers.
Donate TodayWe will ensure that all who donate, organisation or individual, are recognised for their efforts and contributions. To ensure the best value for contributions received by SACC, my company Valufin will manage the forex transfers from the Chamber to the Fund at no charge maximising the Rands received. Exceed UK will audit the SACC books and bank account to confirm all funds received have been transmitted.
The summary brochure for the Solidarity Fund can be downloaded here.
For your information, the Board Members of the Solidarity Fund are:
Gloria Serobe (Chairwoman)
Adi Enthoven (Deputy Chairman)
Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba (Chair Distribution Committee)
Tryphosa Ramano (Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee)
Sizwe Nxasana (Chair of the Fundraising Committee)
Prof Michael Katz
Kgomotso Makhupola
Minister Tito Mboweni
Minister Ebrahim Patel
Thulani Tshefutu
I call on all of you to join together with all of us to make a real difference to those South Africans who are hungry and need your help the most right now.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay isolated to win against COVID-19.
Sharon Constançon
SACC Chairman
