Volvo support essential services during lockdown
As the lockdown continues, so does the support from Volvo Car South Africa and its dealership network.
The support from Volvo SA includes the use of the Volvo fleet by frontline services workers as well as the repair of cars used and or owned by essential services. Furthermore bolstering relief efforts is the installation of emergency hand washing stations in communities, townships and informal settlements which have limited access to water. The initiative which is executed by the non-profit organisation Save Our Schools will see the disadvantaged communities comply with the basic guidelines in fighting the spread of COVID-19 which are to wash hands frequently with soap and water and to disinfect surfaces as often as possible. The handwashing stations will be made available to over 110 000 residents in the Wallacedene, Bloekombos and Scottsdene communities in the Western Cape and will be built onto solid concrete bases which will have liquid soap available from separate dispensers.
In addition to the handwashing stations, fourteen 5 000-litre water tanks will be installed in the areas which in return will also create fourteen new jobs as these tanks will have to be monitored, managed and sterilized to ensure that they remain clean and filled with fresh water. They will also be responsible for ensuring that liquid soap supplies are replenished. Assisting with this enormous task, Volvo Cars SA released the Cape Town-based fleet of press vehicles to be utilized by the Save Our Schools teams responsible for the installations. The vehicles will assist the volunteers and operational teams to access sometimes hard-to-reach areas as they proceed to construct water stations at schools and churches and bring much needed essential goods, food items and the 100-litres of sanitizer product, provided by Volvo, to the areas.
Further north in the country the Medi Response team, experts in the management and supply of emergency service solutions, gains access to Volvo Car South Africa’s Johannesburg-based press fleet as they continue with their efforts on the frontline of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. The team not only assist in treating and getting patients safely to hospitals providing services that contribute to the well-being of South Africa and its people. The additional vehicles provided to the Medi Response by Volvo Car South Africa’s press fleet has assisted in delivering thousands of food parcels and much-needed medical consumables to the less fortunate, various animal shelters and NPOs in dire need of assistance.
Further supporting communities around the country is Filby Marescia Group Holdings (FMGH), a holding company for Volvo Cars Pietermaritzburg, Volvo Cars Pinetown and Volvo Cars Hillcrest which ha sponsored Meals on Wheels for the past 14 years. The Meals on Wheels NPO help feed in excess of 122 000 people per day as it provides support to 520 kitchens and homes of safety for abused women and children throughout the country. Meals on Wheels started its efforts more than 50 years ago and currently remain a major contributor to reducing poverty and hunger in South Africa.
The recent lockdown measures implemented by the government have seen the demand grow for the support of NPOs such as Meals on Wheels with the aged and young left most vulnerable. Coming together in aid of residents in Alexandra situated in Johannesburg is FMGH Volvo, Meals on Wheels and Enza Construction (which is building a hospital in the KwaMashu area) as together they fund 1 500 meals per day to assist the aged and young for the duration of lockdown. To assist this cause which has been providing nutritious and varied meals, SMS the word ‘meal’ to 39055 to donate a meal to Meals on Wheels.
Tom Campher Volvo Cars Johannesburg has also gotten involved with efforts to assist essential service personnel during the lockdown as they continue to fight against COVID-19. Supporting essential service customers with repairs, services and parts, including tyres, medical support services, medical staff and providers of transportation relating to essential services are eligible to visit Tom Campher Volvo Cars Johannesburg but should be sure to bring a copy of the individual’s Essential Service Registration and identity documentation along with the completion of a Declaration Form 4 in order to comply with Regulation 11B (1)(g).
