On Thursday the 3^rd of December 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa tightened COVID-19 rules in the Eastern Cape province where infections are rising the most, curbing movement and gatherings. The Eastern Cape accounts for 53% of new infections and more than half of the total deaths. This second wave of COVID-19 has left the province in crisis.
Food shortages, severely low supply of PPE, lack of hospital equipment and basic necessities has seen the humanitarian need in the province increase rapidly. SANZAF teams from the Port Elizabeth and East London offices have witnessed this first hand as they work tirelessly to provide relief to those affected by the pandemic.
SANZAF has been one of the organisations at the forefront of the emergency response, collecting and distributing over R10 million worth of aid nationwide since COVID-19 reached our shores. Even now COVID-19 related relief projects continue with regional offices providing food hampers and working through strategic partnerships to make an impact.
However, the current situation in the Eastern Cape requires an increase in support and SANZAF appeals to the greater South African community to once again come together and help us as our offices in the Eastern Cape step up efforts to make sure we reach as many of those in need as possible.
COVID-19 care packs, providing PPE, sanitising services, sourcing of oxygen cylinders and increasing number of food distributions have all been planned as we continue to work on the ground. We believe that as a nation in crisis we must reflect, recover and rebuild as we move forward whilst still putting in every effort to deal with this devastating epidemic. There is an urgency to save lives and time is now for us to come together and be part of the solution.
