Communities in KwaZulu-Natal are desperate for even the most basic food staples after a week of devastating looting and violence. In honour of Mandela Day this Sunday, and in the spirit of Ubuntu, here are five ways you can help out.
1. Donate to Gift of the Givers
If South Africans know one thing, it’s that Gift of the Givers know how to mobilise and provide relief in times of crisis.
The local relief organisation quickly “put its entire machinery into action” this week and here is how you can assist them.
Contributions can be made into Gift of the Givers, Standard Bank, Pietermaritzburg, Account number 052137228, Branch Code 057525, ref KZN Crisis. For tax-deductible, Section 18A certificates please send a deposit slip to donations@giftofthegivers.org. Details, toll-free on 0800 786 911.
2. Catalyze, Hey Gorgeous and BEX Express call on Capetonians to donate
Growing up in Durban, owner of communications company Catalyze, Rex Bowden could not just stand back and watch Durban suffer, as people find themselves without access to food and essential items. “I feel helpless for my family, friends and colleagues in Durban and since hearing the news, knew I needed to try to help them from Cape Town”.
As luck would have it, on Thursday Bowden was contacted by the owner of cosmetics company Hey Gorgeous, Phoebe Williams, who also wanted to help by delivering essential items to Durban. The courier and logistics company BEX Express has offered to deliver the items to Durban free of charge.
Rex managed to connect with Durban’s Shaun Reid from Talloula Weddings who has been running a food distribution centre during Covid, and SA Harvest, a National NPO, who has offered to trace and escort the BEX delivery truck securely to its drop-off points in Durban.
Capetonians can drop off non-perishable food items, nappies, sanitary care items and pet food at one of the collections points between 9am and 4pm this weekend. These drop-off points include the Hey Gorgeous stores in Claremont and Willowbridge Malls and the Diep River Distribution Centre at Unit E3&4, Prime Park, Mocke Street, Diep River.
If you have food to donate please contact Bowden and Williams or make a donation to saharvest.org/donate/ and use the reference Gorgeoous Catalyze.
3. Send virtual vouchers via the Shoprite Group
Anyone, in South Africa or outside, can send virtual vouchers to family and friends in need by buying vouchers which are sent directly to their phones, and can be spent on groceries at Shoprite, Checkers and Usave stores nationwide.
The virtual vouchers, that can be safely bought in a few easy steps, are sent via SMS to a recipient’s mobile phone within an hour of placing the order. They can be redeemed immediately.
In addition to virtual vouchers, customers can send money to recipients without bank accounts at Money Market counters in selected Shoprite, Checkers and Usave stores.
Go to www.computicket.com to buy a voucher. The virtual voucher can only be used in-store by entering the voucher number into the pin pad at check out.
Vouchers can only be redeemed once and no change is given if the purchase value is less than the voucher value. The remaining value will be loaded on to a gift card.
Vouchers cannot be exchanged for cash and are valid for three years.
4. Donate dried food and other staples to be distributed by The Angel Network
The Angel Network together with HopeSA are sending a cargo truck and plane to KwaZulu-Natal. Help them fill up with staple foodstuff like mielie meal, beans, oil, sugar, baby formula and nappies.
Community police forums will be helping to distribute the donations around Isipingo Hills, Pietermaritzburg, Tongaat, Phoenix, Chatsworth and other hard-hit areas.
Contact the following people to find out more:
* Glynne on 083 777 1621 or email glynne@theangelnetwork.co.za
* Hayley on 082 829 1626 or email hayley@theangelnetwork.co.za
* Justine on 082 871 3227 or email justine@theangelnetwork.co.za
To make a cash contribution, visit www.theangelnetwork.co.za/donate
5. Assist with animal food donations for the Umgeni River Bird Park and the Mitchell Park Zoo
The eThekhwini Municipality has urged residents to assist with animal food donations for the Umgeni River Bird Park and the Mitchell Park Zoo.
The City said in a statement that “in light of the current unrest, the City is taking reasonable precautions to ensure that there is sufficient food for the animals at both the Umgeni River Bird Park and the Mitchell Park Zoo”.
The municipality has called on the public to donate perishable food items such as fruits and vegetables to help sustain the animals until supplies are secured.
Donations can be dropped off at the gate of the Umgeni River Bird Park at 490 Riverside Road, Umgeni, or the Parks District Office at 10 Ferndale Road, Morningside. The public can contact the Parks Office on 082 498 4418 for more information.