uMhlanga businessman donates 300 000 masks to fight spread of Covid-19

KWAZULU-NATAL premier, Sihle Zikalala, and Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, have thanked uMhlanga businessman, Vivian Reddy, who, last week, donated 300 000 masks worth R4.5 million, to assist in curbing the spread of Covid – 19 in the province.

Half of the masks will be given to healthcare workers, while the remainder will be handed out to people in informal settlements.

The donation was on behalf of Sibaya Community Trust and Reddy urged those businesses and citizens, who have the means, to also find ways to assist.

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“In making this donation we believe its a show of support of the Sibaya Trust to the leadership of the province who are doing a great job protecting the citizens of the province. It is a time like this we need businesses and residents to come together to support the government in any way we can,” Reddy said.

Both Zikalala and Simelane-Zulu echoed Reddy’s comments saying going forward the utilisation of the masks would be one of the effective ways to fight the pandemic.

Expressing his thanks, Zikalala said they were moved by the donation.

“This donation will go towards saving people’s lives in the province. We need to embrace living with masks, especially those made out of cloth going forward. From this donation 150 000 masks will go directly to our hospitals in need of the protective equipment and a 150 000 will go towards the informal settlements and transit camps. This virus has changed the way we live and we are still adjusting and living with it. We are grateful for the contribution and continued support of Mr (Vivian) Reddy and the Sibaya Trust,” Zikalala said.

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