Gift of the Givers doing government’s work, ‘but not for the government’

Let’s be honest, I won’t smile and wave as Charlize Theron and her entourage of 43 drive past me – but one celebrity did get not only a smile, but also some frantic waving from me today. And Imtiaz Sooliman didn’t disappoint this fan: I got a couple of hoots, waves and even a thumbs up.

Respect to that man; small in stature, big in solutions. He’s a Gift who just keeps on Giving. No race, creed or colour matter to him. Hospital without water? No problem. Within a week his people sunk a borehole.

KZN riots? No problem. Within hours his people are helping out with so much more than soup and a roll.

Because this man doesn’t run a soup kitchen. He runs a business, hands-on, with instant solutions – and that’s star quality that gets my wave. He won’t turn away your garage sale items, I’m sure, but I know he wants the other kind of donation: hard cash.

ALSO READ: Gift of the Givers arrives with supplies for Jagersfontein victims

Cash is king if you want to sink a borehole. Or repair a bridge in Serbia. And South Africans don’t seem to mind handing it over to him. I know why: we trust this humble soul. We know our cash won’t disappear in a cesspool of tenders or “administrative costs”.

We’re helping him pay for that one final bolt to make a broken bridge sturdy again. He can even fix the bridge Cyril burnt with us, I realised today, reading the speech he made at an event themed The Giving Habits of SA’s Richest.

‘It’s for the people of South Africa’

“We are saying okay, let’s give government a hand for three to four years – because our problem won’t be solved in one year.

“Corporate South Africa, as well as anybody in South Africa who can make a difference: let’s support the system and pay for doctors, pay for teachers, pay for nurses and paramedics.

“If we do that for three to four years, hopefully by that time, the tax income would have increased and there will be more jobs created.

ALSO READ: More than 200 people could still be missing after KZN floods – Gift of the Givers

“We are doing government’s work, yes – but it’s not for the government. It is for the people of South Africa and until government get their act together.”

Straight talk calling a spade a spade. And a good plan. The good doctor has my vote. Damn – even for president…