In heeding the call made by the President at the wake of this devastating pandemic for all sectors of the society to contribute in efforts aimed at curbing the spread COVID-19, Tirisano Construction Fund approached the Minister of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and expressed their intention to lend a helping hand by donating hand sanitizers and soaps that are intended to reach different members of the public. The Minister then tasked the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), a government component of the Department of Cooperative Governance to identify areas that are in need and most vulnerable, and ensure that the care packs urgently reach their intended beneficiaries. MISA identified beneficiary communities and began to develop, and implement the process of distributing the packs.
The distribution was part of the launch of the North West mass screening and testing which was officiated by Premier Job Makgoro which took place in Rustenburg on Tuesday, 08 April 2020. Following the Premier’s event, the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Obed Bapela steered a national launch of the handing out the care packs to the community of Stormhuise informal settlements near Marikana on the same day.
The national launch was followed by an event held at Mmabatho Old Parliament Building in the North West Province where MISA handed over the hygiene packs to the North West Department of Corporative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs. A total of three thousand, six hundred and eleven (3 611) hand sanitisers and an equal amount of soaps were handed over to the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Mr Kegakilwe Mothibedi.
Subsequent to receiving the hygiene packs, MEC Mothibedi handed them over to the North West Provincial House of Traditional Leaders for further distribution to the office tribal chambers throughout the Province. “We are very much happy today to receive these sanitisers from MISA, MISA’s responsibility is to assist municipalities with infrastructure issues. These sanitisers are destined to the provincial House Traditional Leaders for the use by the staff and everyone who accessing the tribal chambers.” Said MEC Kegakilwe.
MEC Kegakilwe cited that the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs called upon them to ensure that the traditional leaders receive and distribute the packs. He further stated that traditional leaders have a huge role to play in ensuring that the communities adhere to the rules made by the government during this period.
“We have partners from the private sector, who are teaming up with government in trying to support wherever they can to curtail the spread of Covid-19” said the North West Provincial Manager of MISA, Ms Pontso Nkejane.
MISA reiterates its call upon members of the public to contribute in curbing the spread of the pandemic by staying at home, observing social distancing and exercising all hygienic requirements such as washing of hands with soap often for at least twenty seconds or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
To date, a total number of six thousands (6000) hand sanitizers and soaps have been distributed to various municipalities across the country through this partnership.
Enquiries:
Siduduziwe Hlatshwayo
0842200022
Siduduziwe.hlatshwayo@misa.gov.za