KZN Health department seeking help from Gift of the Givers

The humanitarian aid organisation, the Gift of the Givers says it has received a request from the Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal to assist after the recent flood-damaged infrastructure. The organization has also been assisting affected communities by providing water, food, and clothing.

The founder of the organisation, Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, says his organisation has assisted various communities in the province after the April floods.

“In Tongaat and LA Mercy, the water system was completely destroyed, we drilled 15 boreholes there already. We upgraded schools that have been damaged, cleaning the stormwater drain in the schools. The health department has asked us for assistance, we are going to look at that. There is R180 million worth of damage to health facilities and also to the M4, the community has got together to try and rebuild the bridge and using us to facilitate for that,” Sooliman says.

Gift of the Givers helping in Nelson Mandela Bay

Dr. Sooliman also adds that the issue of water shortages in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, should have been sorted out a long time ago. The Metro remains in a state of crisis due to its low water supply with day zero expected within the next two weeks.

The Impofu dam has dried up, and the Churchill dam is lying at below 9%. Water leaks have exacerbated the problem. Sooliman says everyone should get involved in helping the municipality deal with the crisis.

“Right now the municipality is looking at infrastructure, they’ve been putting these blue taps outside the airport and various areas. They are identifying places where jojo tanks must be put. They’re looking at how they can get water out of that. We have started drilling boreholes, we’re looking at doing 10 immediately,” adds Sooliman.

Nelson Mandela Bay Metro beings installing communal taps: