Vodacom heeds City of Tshwane's call for aid during Hammanskraal Cholera outbreak

JOHANNESBURG – Last month the City of Tshwane put out an urgent appeal asking stakeholders and individuals across the country for supplies to help manage the ongoing cholera outbreak which has affected Hammanskraal and its surrounding settlements. As part of Vodacom's commitment to the communities it serves, the mobile operator has donated a thousand humanitarian aid packages containing essentials to help community members protect themselves.

"As a purpose-led business we feel a duty to use our resources to protect the communities we serve," says Oyisa Besman, Managing Executive: Consumer Business Unit for Vodacom Gauteng Region. "We have a history of assisting with the water challenges faced by the City of Tshwane, having donated 20 JoJo water tanks to the municipality in September of last year."

According to the latest reports, the death toll in the region is up to 23 people with more than 200 having passed through local Jubilee District Hospital since the middle of May. One of the most important steps that needs to be taken to combat this outbreak is providing the residents with proper sanitation. This is what Vodacom Gauteng Region has focused on, providing residents with care packs containing soap, face cloths, sanitiser, Dettol wet wipes, sanitary pads, and a toothbrush and toothpaste.

The region has also included bottled water rehydration packets and water cleaning tablets, items which may prove life saving for those suffering from the primary symptom, diarrhoea. This is because in most cases the most severe threat posed by diarrhoea is dehydration. These packets help replenish the vital water and electrolytes which are lost when a person becomes sick.

"As Vodacom strives to improve the lives of South Africans, we will continue to partner with government as one of our key stakeholders to provide solutions as we build a better future, together, for all who live in our country. We are proud to be able to use our resources to make a positive impact in our community. Through initiatives like this we hope we can continue to show the importance of public and private collaboration to create a better future for all South Africans."