Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management has called in the SANDF Augusta helicopter and put up two of their own helicopters to deliver aid to Citrusdal and Vredendal, being the first towns cut off from the outside world. Colin Deiner, head of WC provincial disaster management, who works closely with Gift of the Givers, requested assistance to fill all three helicopters with essential supplies as they fly in continuous rotation. Gift of the Givers has already diverted a Johannesburg truck from Beaufort West to Malmesbury, whilst the Cape Town teams loaded supplies on additional trucks heading out for Malmesbury shortly to avoid being on the road when monster storms are expected to strike the province. Gift of the Givers trucks is loaded with fleece blankets, plastic coveralls, bottled water, bread, non-perishable food items and hygiene packs.
Gift of the Givers teams has assisted multiple communities along the N1, N2 and N7 providing urgent support since 9 June. Inaccessible roads, uprooted trees, homes in low-lying areas, damaged cellphone towers and fallen power lines compound the challenges but the patience, resilience and faith of communities are remarkable. The covert endemic hunger masked in a dignified manner by so many communities becomes increasingly manifest during disasters. Gift of the Givers teams have noticed this repeatedly during interventions in the past year, it is no different in the current crisis. Given this reality Gift of the Givers increases the hot meals and food parcels assisting even those families not directly affected by the disaster.
The number of affected individuals is rising rapidly. Thousands of blankets, mattresses, sleeping bags, plastic coveralls, hygiene packs, fortified peanut paste and nutritionally enriched Genesis cereal will be required in addition to new clothing, food parcels, stationery and building material. Wuppertal, Tsitsikamma and many other areas are joining the queue of distressed communities affected by the incessant rain and freezing cold.
Contributions can be made to Gift of the Givers, Standard Bank, Pietermaritzburg, Account number 052137228, Branch Code 057525, ref SA disaster.
Please send your deposit slip to donations@giftofthegivers.org for a Section 18A tax certificate.