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Gift of the Givers will officially open its 13th newly drilled borehole at Walmer High School tomorrow, July 18, in keeping with the spirit of Mandela Day.
They have extended an invitation to President Cyril Ramaphosa to witness the opening of this borehole in the event he visits Nelson Mandela Bay on this day.
Gift of the Givers founder, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, said that the visit would amplify what can be can done together as experienced in the Nelson Mandela Bay project to save an entire metro and surrounding communities.
"This is a prototype of what South Africans can do collectively as corporates, government, civil society and media for nation building and the enhancement of our fractured country. A combination of financial support, appropriate skills, no bureaucracy nor red tape, just a willingness to work in unison and harmony, accepting and understanding the value of each partner and being focused on building a better country for 65 million of our citizens is the way to a successful future," Sooliman said.
He added that the collaboration between the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Business Chamber and its members and Gift of the Givers in dealing with the Day Zero challenge is memorable. Gift of the Givers is currently drilling its 13th borehole in the metro, has expanded three drilled previously, resuscitated one at the K9 Unit and three owned by the municipality, potentially adding 4 million litres a day to the grid. Cerebos contributes an additional 500 000L fresh drinking water per day through its desalination plant, generously transported by 3 x 35000L water tankers sponsored by Coke to Gift of the Givers.
"Working closely with the municipality engineering team led by Barry Martin, Gift of the Givers will provide JoJo tanks to the fifty water collection points being set up by the municipality. Drilling additional boreholes, resuscitating other dormant municipal boreholes, harnessing water from spring sites, providing many more water tanks (500 have been sponsored by Africa Tanks), bringing in two more water tankers and 'opening' viable boreholes pointed out by the community is part of Gift of the Givers' ongoing intervention," he added.
"Providing boreholes at various schools serves learners, educators, their families and surrounding communities, many of which have large numbers of informal settlements, the inhabitants of which are in dire economic circumstances and require compassionate assistance. The water capacity and reserves at Livingstone Hospital (the largest hospital in the metro), Gqeberha Provincial Hospital (we've brought in a 250 000L storage bladder), Elizabeth Donkin Psychiatric Hospital and Jose Pearson TB Hospital have all been substantially advanced," he said.
"Our special thanks to the NMB Municipality, the NMB Business Chamber and various corporates for the partnerships, co-operation and financial support."
