NATIONAL NEWS - It is with grave concern that Standard Bank has noted the devastation left in the wake of the raging fires and storms that have swept through the Garden Route and greater Cape region this week.
The fires and storms have claimed numerous lives and displaced thousands of citizens, while completely gutting homes, schools, businesses, and vehicles.
“It is with the deepest and most heartfelt sympathy that our thoughts go out to those who have lost loved ones in the Knysna fires and severe weather in Cape Town. Our thoughts too, are with those residents, especially the destitute and vulnerable, who have been displaced and left exposed in the affected areas,” said Standard Bank Group CEO Ben Kruger.
“I am heartened that so many of South African’s citizens, corporates and individuals, have stepped up to assist with relief work. It is with hope for a better tomorrow for all those affected, that we at Standard Bank are donating R10-million to the efforts. Our wish is that this will bring some relief to those that have been impacted by the natural disasters in all regions affected by the fires and storms. In some areas, entire communities will need to be rebuilt, and my only hope is that this urgent donation will make a difference,” said Kruger.
This donation is in addition to the work that is being done on the ground by the Standard Bank Coastal, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay and Greater Cape regional heads and their teams. The teams have been working since Wednesday evening, June 7, in the areas to rally drives for donations of food and blankets, running jointly with SFM 90.1 to drive donations from citizens in the Cape. They have donated food parcels, water and cold drinks to firefighters and citizens, collected clothing and blankets, and are offering alternative and safe accommodation to those who have been displaced.
The Standard Bank Insurance teams in the area have also set up dedicated insurance desks at branches to assist with claim requirements.
Many Standard Bank staff in the region have also contributed financially to help the local residents. Should any individuals or corporates wish to join the drive, donations can be made to the following Standard Bank relief account and funds will be channelled to the affected areas in conjunction with SFM 90.1:
SFM Streek Rampfonds, acc nr 180559141.
DHL Express has announced that its local cross-business-unit disaster response team which was deployed last week to assist in relief efforts for residents who have been displaced by the recent Knysna fire, has transported over 284 tons of emergency supplies to date, with thousands of kilograms still being processed.
According to Megan Roper, Head of Marketing for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, the company has been coordinating the logistics of supplies to Knysna, George and surrounding areas since Friday 9 June 2017. DHL Express reached out to its sister companies, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain to set up a cross-business-unit team of logistics experts who were tasked with coordinating logistics operations in cooperation with the Western Cape Government’s Disaster Manager Centre. This coordinated effort formed a crucial part in the relief effort chain.”
'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Klein Karoo, Hessequa news'
