Kathu – Covid-19 has hit South Africa hard, leaving the country at a state of emergency and great economic shock, resulting in a national lockdown and driving all sectors to respond swiftly as more and more people lose their income. Combating extreme hunger, capacitating health facilities and preparing testing/isolation centres became immediate priority as the virus continued to claim lives.
SIOC-CDT is a people-centred organisation aimed at developing beneficiary stakeholders adjacent to the SIOC (PTY) LTD mines to be sustainable and thrive beyond mine closure. The organisation achieves this by responding to prevalent needs through strategic interventions. As a result, an internal Covid-19 Relief Team was established to respond to the three urgent needs (as a result of the pandemic) within the five beneficiary communities.
The three-phased approach will help:
- Feed underprivileged citizens whilst lessening the probability of them going to congested areas in search of sustenance
- Health workers, disaster management personnel and patients to stay safe during consultations
- Equip local municipality for testing and isolation of Covid-19 patients
More than 5,000 indigent families, predominantly those who lost their income as a result of the national lockdown, received food parcels. Distribution was tailormade for each municipality in partnership with Department of Social Development (DSD), local municipalities and other developmental partners to avoid double dipping, gain easy access to rightful beneficiaries, and ensure timeous deliveries. Select local safe havens also received groceries to sustain them during the lockdown.
In addition, SIOC-CDT supported over 50 health facilities by donating more than 30,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) items to Department of Health in the Thabazimbi, Tsantsabane and John Taolo Gaetsewe regions. This includes those that are involved in disaster management.
Over and above this, a contribution of resources to equip testing/isolation centres was handed over to JTG District Department of Health. The donation comprised of sheets (243), blankets (243), pillowcases (244) and pillows (80) and PPE to equip already identified centres.
The journey to sustainable development continues with close to R9 million dedicated to this Covid-19 1st Response Programme. This, however, cannot be compared to the impact derived from the actual interventions and the lives impacted by the programme itself. The plan is to continuously assess ways to respond to the epidemic as informed by various community needs and bring necessary assistance required.
ENDS
About SIOC-CDT
SIOC Community Development Trust was established in 2006 by Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC) (PTY) LTD to invest in the development of the communities in which the company operates in the Northern Cape and Thabazimbi Local Municipality in Limpopo. The Trust has invested significantly in community development projects aimed at ensuring sustainability beyond mining operations.
SIOC-CDT has substantiated its stated intention of “defining ourselves through actions, not our words” by investing over R1 billion in socio-economic and community development projects in its beneficiary communities.
For more information, contact:
Refilwe Sebogodi
Stakeholder Relations and Communications Executive refilwe@sioc-cdt.co.za | 082 901 8364