Sasolburg, South Africa – Sasol and the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) expanded their “A Million Gifts for Life” partnership to support 95 independent Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Metsimaholo to welcome 6 958 children back to school when lockdown restrictions allow these centres to reopen. Sasol and the GTCoC launched the “A Million Gifts for Life” project on 28 May 2020 that entails collecting and distributing masks and food parcels in our communities.

Many of the young learners at Early Childhood Centres in Metsimaholo are from disadvantaged homes and they rely to a large extent on the meals the centres offer for daily nutrition. The donation by Sasol and GTCoC of 7,58 tons of food for the learners is therefore crucial to the centres. The donation consists of 3 980kg dry vitamin enriched soya/vegetable mix (approved by the National School Nutritional Plan), 1 200kg potatoes, 1 200kg rice and 1 200kg samp.

To further assist the ECD centres to improve their state of readiness, 2 900 litres of liquid soap, 2 050 litres of hand sanitiser, 547 sanitiser dispensers, 380 liquid soap dispensers, 190 funnels and 632 cloth masks for 316 practitioners were donated.

“We realise that these ECD centres are in no financial position to fund the stringent protocols they need to meet to reopen their doors. As safety is a priority to Sasol, it is our duty as responsible corporate citizens to assist our communities to also meet COVID-19 requirements in terms of cleaning, disinfecting and wearing of cloth masks,” said Sasol’s Sasolburg Operations Senior Vice President, Rightwell Laxa.

According to the GTCoC CEO, Klippies Kritzinger, “the donation to the ECD Centres in Metsimaholo is a further commitment to bring much needed relief in our communities and make a tangible contribution to the independent ECD Centres that are operating as micro enterprises, not fully supported financially by the Departments of Basic Education and Social Development”.

The donation from Sasol and the GTCoC is a basic start-up kit that will allow young learners to return to their centres where they can prepare to enter formal basic education.

The “A Million Gifts for Life” project forms part of Sasol’s regional support for the fight against the corona virus. National donations include jet fuel used to repatriate South African citizens stuck abroad due to border and airport closures, fuel to the SANDF and SAPS. 

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 requirements to establish a Quarantine Centre in Metsimaholo. 

Further donations to the Department of Health included latex gloves, Coveralls 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 SASSA 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.