Thu Jan 07 14:07:00 UTC 2016
The Shoprite Group is reaching out and assisting various local communities that have been left without water and/or hit by water shortages as a result of the persistent drought that is plaguing South Africa.
Following an initial water donation made to the community of Aliwal North just after Christmas, the Group delivered 29 920 litres of water to the town of Senekal in the Free State this past weekend.
An additional two trucks, carrying a total of 49 280 litres of water, were urgently dispatched to QwaQwa on Tuesday, 12 January.
More trucks with water have been sent to communities in KwaZulu-Natal with 24 650 litres of fresh drinking water distributed in Ulundi on Thursday, 21 January and 45 000 litres of water was delivered to Swartruggens in the North-West on Saturday, 16 January 2016.
In addition, the Group is assisting with the transportation of water collected by South African citizens to affected areas. Selected Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets are selling water at cost price in areas with water shortages, whilst collection trolleys are also being made available in these stores for customers to donate water should they wish to do so.
The Shoprite Group has a long history of reaching out to communities when impacted by disaster. It is committed to supporting and strengthening all the local communities in which it trades supporting vulnerable people such as the elderly, women and children in the affected areas.
Shoprite Checkers were the first to donate water at Operation Hydrate’s Cape Town launch on 1 March 2016 with a total of 38 000 litres pledged. Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille, Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Tutu Foundation were also there to show their support.
To date the Shoprite Group has donated more than 300 000 litres of water and transported thousands more to assist communities left without water across South Africa, including (Vryheid, QwaQwa, Smithfield, Harding, Ixopo and others).
Article last updated on 1 March 2016
