According to Sasol’s Sasolburg Operations Senior Vice President, Rightwell Laxa, it is a duty as responsible corporate citizens to put the health and well being of the community on the forefront. “Although we as Sasol are also finding the circumstances we face, because of the pandemic extremely tough, we are able to take hands with organisations like the GTCoC and individuals in the community to bring relief and hope to the less fortunate in our area,” he said.

Individuals and organisations can participate in the project by donating food and cloth masks. Those who are not as nifty with a needle, are asked to go the extra mile and donate material from which masks can be made. Specifications for donated masks are available on flyers at the collection points listed below.

Masks and material may be dropped in collection bins at any of the following locations:

• Sasolburg: Leibbrandt Pharmacy and Medpark Pharmacy
• Vaalpark: Roodia Pharmacy
• Vanderbijlpark: Lifezest Pharmacy, Medimark, Ring Pharmacy, Sussman’s Pharmacy, Cassims, SANCA and Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC)
• Vereeniging: Eland Pharmacy, Midvaal Pharmacy and Car Hi-Fi Specialists
• Midvaal: Van der Walt Pharmacy

Arrangements for food donations can be made with the GTCoC CEO, Klippies Kritzinger.

“We are well aware of the dire situation many members of the public are finding themselves in due to the lack of economic activity during the COVID-19 lockdown. We, as the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce, cherish this opportunity to take hands with Sasol and our communities to bring much needed relief in the Vaal Triangle,” says Kritzinger.

The A Million Gifts for Life Project forms part of Sasol’s support for the fight against the corona virus. These donations include jet fuel used to repatriate South African citizens stuck abroad due to border and airport closures, fuel to the SANDF and SAPS as well as hand sanitiser.

Sasol contributes locally by supplying hand sanitiser to the Free State Department of Health, SAPS, SANDF, Correctional Services, local and district municipalities, schools and universities. With its joint venture partner, Natref, Sasol donated several items to the Metsimaholo Local Municipality and Free State Department of Health towards the minimum facility equipment requirements of a Quarantine Centre for the people of Metsimaholo.

Further donations to the Department of Health included latex gloves and FFP2 masks, while a mobile science laboratory, gazebos and chairs assist the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) where community screening and testing are done. Cloth face masks were also donated to elderly and disabled grant recipients, patients at clinics and at the COVID-19 screening and testing stations. The SAPS and SANDF received rechargeable torches, while accommodation is also provided to the SANDF. Awareness of the symptoms and actions to be taken when COVID-19 infection is suspected, was created through billboards, pamphlets and advertisements in local media.

The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) is widely regarded as the premier voice of business both large and small in the Vaal Triangle with a strong focus on creating and enabling an environment for economic prosperity, service delivery and social development.

As such the GTCoC emphasises its social relevance and economic contribution through relevant projects such as: Vaal Business Hunger Busters, Golden Vaal and is an important stakeholder in numerous local government projects of strategic importance to the region and Gauteng Province.

“The GTCoC therefore fully endorses and appreciates the A Million Gifts for Life Project with Sasol as being of the highest social and economic relevance during COVID-19,” says Kritzinger.