Shell donates half a million to charity but SA is still not happy

Global energy giant Shell found themselves trending on South African Twitter on Tuesday morning after locals found out that the company would be donating half a million rand to charity on behalf of Nkosikho Mbele.

Mbele is the 28-year-old petrol attendant who gained overnight fame after a post about his kindness went viral.

A 21-year-old woman named Monet Van Deventer took to Facebook to share the story of how Mbele had helped her by paying for her petrol one evening after she realised she had forgotten her purse at home.

The post has since been shared over 50,000 times.

Once the post gained traction, Van Deventer started a crowdfunding campaign for him with the aim of raising R100,000. The campaign has since surpassed that by raising over R400,000.

On Monday, South African social media users shared their disapproval of the fact that the funds raised for Mbele’s children’s education would not be paid out to him directly and would instead be managed by the crowdfunding platform on his behalf.

RELATED: Social media up in arms that Nkosikho won’t be getting his 400k

By Tuesday, they had directed their disapproval to Shell after a video of the company’s Country Chair Hloniphizwe Mtolo speaking to Mbele on the phone was shared to social media.

In the video, Mtolo can be heard congratulating and commending Mbele before announcing that the corporation would donate R500,000 to a charity of his choice.

Mtolo also informed Mbele that he would be nominated in the upcoming Shell Service Awards and invited him to attend the ceremony in Zanzibar this coming July where he would be honoured for his act of kindness.

https://twitter.com/ntobza2/status/1135660625781280770

There were those who commended Shell for their donation, like the minister of transport, Fikile Mbalula.

👊👊👊👊Salute shell South Africa. https://t.co/PoW5dYpZ7N

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Cde Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) June 4, 2019

I am proud to work with an amazing Organisation Shell South Africa. I learnt at Shell, they value the spirit of Ubuntu & as a company Shell are moved by the act of kindness by their service champion Nkosikho Mbele.He has inspired us all to pay it forward!Ke a leboha @Shell pic.twitter.com/uI6Kgda5XY

— Ronald Abvajee (@RonaldAbvajee) June 4, 2019

But the praise paled in comparison to the criticism of Shell’s announcement which was compared to the public’s perceived intention of Backabuddy, the crowdfunding platform on which the R400,000 was raised.

I think @Shell can still fix this. Intention was right but it’s just so Anita Snyman PR type vibes. https://t.co/8b9HeHYtxF

— Sylvester Chauke (@sylvesterchauke) June 4, 2019

.what Shell is doing is the tip of iceberg of what has become CSI in South Africa. It's unbelievably disrespectful

— OP (@MorolongZA) June 4, 2019

https://twitter.com/SollyHlaka/status/1135799439451480065

https://twitter.com/_TayM_/status/1135812129737625600

Shell basically donating money to themselves

Read more

Cancel culture 101: Navigating the business of social media

— Grandmaster. (@Monde_Kapa) June 4, 2019

500k to charity of his choice? Thol'ukuthi he doesn't own a home, policies, medical aid, he wants to study further, but they want him to donate all that money. I wonder if they even engage with him on this matter.

— TRISHANOVIC 💕 (@Trishaan_M) June 4, 2019

@Powerfm987 can we get Shell South Africa to explain the rationale for R500K donation please!!!! https://t.co/9SD6qvw11h

— master (@master26p) June 4, 2019

CSI by corporate SA is just poverty porn. There is zero interest in actually helping the poor. We see it with Mandela Day, CEO sleep out & now @Shell South Africa. Sies man

— Mase (@MaseJaco) June 4, 2019

The Shell media team could not be reached for comment but this story will be updated with any comments from Shell as soon as they are available.

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