Nelson Mandela organisations give R1-million to relief fund

The family of Nelson Mandela organisations, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, the 46664 campaign and the Nelson Mandela Childrens’ Fund will donate R1-million to the ‘Operation ReachOut’ project for victims of xenophobic violence.

“We are concerned by the plight of people – South Africans and foreign nationals who have been affected by the recent violence. There are people, including women and young children, without adequate food or medical care, living in temporary shelters,” said Achmat Dangor, Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

“Our Founder, Nelson Mandela, feels strongly that people who have already suffered violence should not continue to suffer these deprivations. The organisations that carry on Mister Mandela’s work, namely the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, the Mandela Rhodes Foundation and the 46664 Campaign are donating One Million Rand to the Star newspaper’s Operation ReachOut campaign, for emergency relief to those communities,” Dangor said.

Moegsien Williams, editor of the Star newspaper which, on Tuesday, started the fund to help people displaced by the recent violence, applauded Nelson Mandela and his organisations. “This is fantastic,” he said. “We are the children of Madiba and it is essential for us all to build on his legacy of non-racism and human rights. We are running the risk of negating what he has brought about if we allow this to continue.” Williams added: “It is very important that we, as South Africans make amends for what has happened, find ways to ensure it does not happen again and to address the concerns of ordinary people.”