The COVID-19 task team – established by the civil rights organisation AfriForum, the family farming network Saai and Solidarity Helping Hand – today delivered donations at the Sonstraaltjie Nursery School in Brits, as well as 2 tonnes dogfood donated by Top Tail and Enerpets at various animal shelters in Gauteng in cooperation with Laeveld Agrochem and the Mark Fish Foundation.
The task team packed boxes for destitute children containing winter clothes, winter shoes and blankets. The 34 boxes were today handed out at the Sonstraaltjie Nursery School after the school informed AfriForum’s Trauma Support Unit about the distress. These children come from destitute families and don’t have sufficient warm clothes and blankets to get through the winter. Each child received a box that was specifically packed for him/her with his/her name on. The boxes also contain some of the Genesis nutritious meals (sponsored by Laeveld Agrochem) to provide these children with essential nutrients. Each child also received a soccer ball from the Mark Fish Foundation.
A total of 2 tonnes dogfood was also delivered at four animal shelters in Gauteng. The following shelters received food:
- Gudwulfs Pit Bull Rescue in Benoni
- FORA (Friends of Rescued Animals) in Krugersdorp
- Pretoria Animal Buddies
- Thaba Tshwane Dogs in Valhalla
According to Ian Cameron, Head of Community Safety at AfriForum, the task team is ready to help alleviate the need as much as possible. “It is already freezing and it is really encouraging for us to know that the children receiving these boxes now have warm clothes and blankets to ward off the cold. The need, which was worsened by the government’s ill-considered lockdown regulations and toxic enforcement thereof, is extremely great. We are very grateful for all the donations that we have received up until now and are confident that the generous contributions by the public and organisations will enable us to help alleviate the need where possible.”
“Saai is extremely grateful for the huge donation of dogfood made by Top Tail and Enerpets. Animal shelters are also suffering as a result of the nationwide lockdown. Pets are increasingly being dropped off at these institutions considering that people are no longer able to care for them. Shelters are also not supported by the government and are dependent on donations such as these to provide for the animals. Today’s donation should be enough to feed the animals in these shelters for at least three weeks,” says Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai.
The following companies also made donations:
- Combined Private Investigation: Blankets (to the value of R10 000) for the children.
- Afri Sheet: Winter clothes and winter shoes for the children.
- EkoKleen: Cleaning agents for the disinfection of the nursery school, as well as the animal shelters.
People who want to make donations or financial contributions can contact AfriForum’s Trauma Support Unit at trauma@antiek.afriforum.co.za.
