One of †he regions possibly hit hardest economically by the Covid-19 lockdown crisis has responded by organising business-led hunger relief efforts to rival the biggest and best in the country.
With lockdown poverty and hunger deepening rapidly throughout South Africa, volunteers of VAAL BUSINESS HUNGERBUSTERS (VBH) collect, distribute and deliver food and clothing when available to tens of thousands in dire need throughout the Vaal Triangle.
That food and clothing comes from businesses and individuals themselves hit hard by lockdown and in a region already burdened with major economic and investment challenges long before the pandemic.
VBH is a project of the GTCoC (Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce), the Vaal’s leading business organisation, and in association with other stakeholders.
In only weeks since the declaration of hard lockdown, VBH has already distributed food equivalent to more than 155 000 meals in the impoverished Vaal, utilising a network of security companies, businesses and even local municipalities for daily distribution.
“It’s nothing short of a miracle – we are seeing the emergence of a business-led philanthropic force rivalling the best in South Africa and that from a business region already battered hardest by lockdown and long before.
But the harder lockdown bites, the bigger the giving hearts of Vaal business and its donors seem to grow,” says Mark Hands, director of the Emerald Resort & Casino in Vanderbijlpark.
What started as an emergency feeding scheme for employees of GTCoC member companies, has now morphed into a major hunger and poverty-relief effort throughout the sprawling Vaal Triangle in southern Gauteng and Sasolburg in the northern Free State.
Staffed and managed exclusively by volunteers, VBH is here to stay for at least the duration of the lockdown economic and social crisis – and perhaps even beyond as it evolves from hunger relief to multi-faceted poverty alleviation.
Emerald Resort & Casino is the logistical heart of VBH in Vanderbijlpark, providing a home and extensive premise for the expanding hunger and poverty-relief operation.
The relationship and close association between the Resort and the GTCoC is a source of immense pride and shared involvement with social and business responsibility issues.
“Emerald Resort & Casino is immensely proud of our close involvement and relationship with the GTCoC over many years and this flows from the business and social relevance of our shared vision and approach, coupled with shared projects,” says Hands.
Klippies Kritzinger, veteran Vaal philanthropist and GTCoC CEO, said VBH – due to the magnificent contribution and ongoing support of the Emerald Resort & Casino – now stood on the shoulders of many businesspeople and donors who gave so much from the very beginning even as business shut down for lockdown.
“The GTCoC will deepen and broaden VBH into a fully-sustainable and multi-faceted anti-poverty empowerment programme with appropriate financial controls in place to make sure donations go straight to the needy without unnecessary management and administration costs,” said Kritzinger.
Alice de Jager, volunteer VBH Operations Director, echoes Kritzinger’s end-goal.
“I wake up every day so humbled at the big, big heart of Vaal businesspeople and other donors who are also suffering hugely and I thank God every day for the opportunity to work with volunteers and entrepreneurs of this calibre,” said de Jager.
