Joining hands amid an ongoing water crisis in Nelson Mandela Bay, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has partnered with various organisations to assist 15 schools in the metro.
VWSA recently installed 30 water tanks at 15 schools in Kariega and Despatch, in partnership with Old Mutual. Both companies sponsored 15 tanks with a capacity of 5 000 litres each, and ensured the tanks were fitted with taps and connected to roof gutters at the schools.
Further support came from Gift of the Givers, who supplied potable water for all the tanks, and the Rotary Club, who provided water purification sachets for all the schools.
In addition to the tanks, VWSA also assisted in alleviating the water crisis by fixing leaks and replacing plumbing, including toilets, taps and pipes, at 19 schools in Nelson Mandela Bay.
This project forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s Adopt a School initiative, which challenges local businesses to assist with water preservation at local schools. VWSA has supported this initiative for over a year, donating 30 water tanks to 15 schools and performing plumbing repairs at five KwaNobuhle schools as part of this initiative in August 2021.
VWSA remains committed to reducing its environmental impact and has done its part to minimise the use of resources, including water. Between 2010 and 2021 the company reduced its use of water by 65%, and installed an on-site wastewater recycling facility to reuse water for production processes and reduce the Kariega plant’s freshwater consumption. The company continues to investigate further ways to ensure the efficient and responsible use of natural resources.
“As a manufacturer, VWSA prides itself on environmentally responsible processes; as a corporate citizen, we aim to empower and uplift the communities where we operate,” said Nonkqubela Maliza, Corporate and Government Affairs Director at VWSA. “These two priorities meet in this initiative. Through providing better access to water for learners, we are also supporting their educational journeys, in line with the Community Trust’s continued belief that a quality education is the key to a bright future.”
