The Muslim community of South Africa – represented by its numerous Theological, Civil Society, and Community Organisations across the country – have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response.
The SA Muslims COVID-19 Response Task Team is pleased to present this consolidated report of humanitarian and relief work and expenditure conducted over the past week by the Muslim community.
We have been coordinating with national and provincial governments and other stakeholders to ensure the needs of vulnerable families are met.
WELFARE AND RELIEF AID
GAUTENG PROVINCE: R4,14 million
Humanitarian relief and social welfare efforts in Gauteng are being coordinated by former Auditor General of South Africa, Mr. Shauket Fakie on behalf of the South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF)
and Mr. Yusuf Abramjee, Co-Founder of Operation SA. Working in partnership with the Gauteng Provincial Government, the #OperationCovid19Fund has raised R3,33 million thus far – R551 000 in food donations and R2,78 million rand in cash donations.
These donations come from a range of sources including a donation of R300 000 from the Caring Women’s Forum expended on food, blankets, hygiene hampers, sanitizers, and face masks, as well as donations from several South African corporates. Donations are being delivered to the Gauteng
government’s central warehouse, from where municipal distribution centres collect their aid allocations.
Africa Muslims Agency – as part of their #Humanitize and #12MillionMeals campaigns – distributed R450 000 worth of hygiene kits and food hampers across the province. In the Johannesburg CBD, 500 people received food hampers on Tuesday [31 March] and blankets were distributed to the homeless in the Mayfair area.
Islamic Relief South Africa expended R367 000 in Gauteng on 685 one-month food hampers, 350 Hygiene Packs, and 200 Household packs.
The Al Imdaad Foundation distributed 75 food hampers, 172 blankets, 72 hygiene packs, and 500 toothbrushes to the homeless and vulnerable groups in Lenasia South, Windsor, Eikenhoff, Grosvenor, and Eldorado Park. The organisation’s teams in Johannesburg will start providing breakfast for homeless persons being housed at the Grosvenor Recreation Centre, Mayfair. The team will be providing breakfast for the duration of the lockdown in partnership with FEED.
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa has been assigned by the Ekurhuleni Disaster Management Team in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Social Development the responsibility of providing meals and hygiene items to two homeless shelters during the lockdown period.
For interviews and further information contact:
SANZAF – Shauket Fakie – 083 200 0785
Operation SA – Yusuf Abramjee – 082 441 4203
Africa Muslims Agency – Hassan Choonara – 083 251 9376
Caring Womens Forum -Zaheerah Bham-Ismail – 073 500 4036
Islamic Relief South Africa – Mr. Yusuf Mohammed – 0800 111 898
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa – Ml. Ebrahim Bham – 083 786 2859
Al Imdaad Foundation – Qari Ziyaad Patel – 082 786 7755
FEED – Dr. Zaheeda Adam – 073 574 2457
KWA-ZULU NATAL: R2,07 million
The South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) and its division – the Caring Sisters Network – have raised R1 million in aid over the past week. The organisations have to date distributed R800 000 in the form of food hampers, with the remaining R200 000 to be distributed on Saturday, 4 April to needy individuals.
This forms part of the #proudlysouthafricanmuslim campaign.
The Natal Memon Jamaat (NMJ) Welfare Team in collaboration with the World Memon Organization (WMO), Jama’atun Nisa and Being Muslim Team distributed over 600 family food hampers and 600 hygiene packs in the 3 days, leading up to the lockdown. Since then, these organisations have
distributed almost 1430 family food hampers with hygiene content to various needy families residing in the following areas: Bonela (4 wards), Seaview, Canelands – Verulam, KaPata – Pietermaritzburg, Phoenix
and many suburbs around Durban Central. They will also be running a feeding scheme for the homeless at shelters in Durban. The total expenditure to date is R500 000.
Africa Muslims Agency, as part of their #Humanitize and #12MillionMeals campaigns, distributed R263 000 worth of hygiene kits and food hampers and will continue to distribute these much-needed items in the Durban and Newcastle areas.
The Al Imdaad Foundation has donated 30 JOJO tanks in the Inkosi Langalibalele Municipality. Additionally, they have distributed 415 hygiene packs and sanitizers and 120 mattresses to homeless shelters across the province and to old age homes in Ladysmith, eThekwini, Bergville, Dundee, and Phoenix.
Penny Appeal South Africa distributed 400 family food packs, which will benefit an estimated 1600- 1800 people across Chatsworth, Kwa Dabeka, and the Umgungungdlovu districts. Additionally, 89 hygiene packs and a handover of 200 pairs of gloves, 150 Masks, and 400 sanitizers were made to the provincial Department of COGTA for their care workers and frontline workers. The total value of funds expended was R175 000.
Islamic Relief South Africa expended R145 000 in Kwa Zulu Natal, on 256 food hampers that can feed a family for a month, 3000 hygiene packs, and 50 household packs.
The SANZAF Durban office distributes approximately 1200 breakfast items a day to various shelters. In additional, they are collaborating with the KZN Jamiatul Ulama and the Natal Memon Jamaat.
Collectively 500 food hampers are being distributed in the Chatsworth area. SANZAF Pietermaritzburg is distributing 1000 food hampers per week to areas such as PBM Central, Northdale, Copesville, Edenvale
and Cogta.
For interviews and further information contact:
SAMNET – Dr. Faisel Suliman – 083 578 6671
SAMNET – Mrs. Yasiera Mahomed Suliman – 0827286721
Al Imdaad Foundation – Qari Ziyaad Patel – 082 786 7755
Penny Appeal South Africa – Ms. Shahnaaz Paruk – 082 733 9000
SANZAF KZN Chairperson & KZN Jamiatul Ulama – Sh Irshaad Amod – 084 209 7846
Africa Muslims Agency – Hassan Choonara – 083 251 9376
The Natal Memon Jamaat – Ahmed Osman – 083 786 7036
WESTERN CAPE – R432 000
SANZAF received additional in-kind donations in the last week and is now able to distribute about 2000 food hampers per week to vulnerable families and informal settlements in areas such as Lost City,
Athlone, Heideveld, Hanover Park, part of Mitchells Plain, Salt River, Woodstock, Factreton, Parow and many more.
Islamic Relief South Africa has expended R120 000, in the form of 135 one month food hampers, 275 hygiene packs and R36 000 in cash grants.
The Africa Muslims Agency, as part of their #Humanitize and #12MillionMeals campaigns, has distributed R255 000 worth of hygiene kits distributed to old age homes, homeless, the sick, the elderly, churches in the Western Cape.
The Al Imdaad Foundation has distributed 248 hygiene packs, 33 food hampers, 320 meals, and 167 warm hats to the homeless and vulnerable groups in Cape Town.
Penny Appeal South Africa provided 943 hot meals across the city safe space camps, refugees, homeless, informal dwellers, and Heideveld/Cathkin Village. 43 Hygiene packs and 280 sanitizers were distributed during awareness and education drives on infection prevention. The total value of expenditure was approximately R57 000.
For interviews and further information contact:
Islamic Relief South Africa – Mr. Yusuf Mohammed – 0800 111 898
SANZAF – Yasmina Francke – 0861 726 923
Africa Muslims Agency – Hassan Choonara – 083 251 9376
Penny Appeal South Africa – Ms. Shahnaaz Paruk – 082 733 9000
Other Provinces
SANZAF’s offices in, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Kimberley are also active in responding to emergency cases. Food hampers per family of approximately R300 each are being distributed as the need arises. Throughout the regions, emergency numbers have been provided for the needy to reach SANZAF in these areas.
The Al Imdaad Foundation has donated 100 JOJO Tanks to 6 districts and municipalities in the Eastern Cape as part of its water relief programme to water-scarce areas within these municipalities.100 hygiene packs were also distributed in the Buffalo City Municipality.
For interviews and further information contact:
Al Imdaad Foundation –Qari Ziyaad Patel – 082 786 7755
SANZAF – Yasmina Francke – 0861 726 923
PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE – R 375 000
The Public health response is led by the Gift of the Givers Foundation, with assistance from the Islamic Medical Association, offering COVID-19 testing at several sites at a reduced fee of R750 per test. Thisrate has promoted the reduction in charges by other private laboratories, benefiting the broader public.
The testing sites have been set up at Wits University, in Mayfair, Roshnee, Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town. The Gift of the Givers is augmenting the South African public health services by supporting medical professionals with protective wear, supplying relevant essential medical equipment and
providing medical consumables to the institutions in urgent need.
The Salaamedia campaign for personal protective equipment has distributed, approximately 2500 masks, mostly N95 masks, as well as some FFP2 and 3ply masks to doctors, Community Police Forums,
and burial committees. 210 hazardous material suits, several boxes of gloves, 150 litres of sanitizer and 100 medical face shields have been donated to public hospitals. The total expenditure including the supply
of soaps, food, N95, FFP2 and 3 ply masks, Hazmat suits, medical face shields, sanitizers, and gloves was R357 000.
The IMA has announced an initiative to sew reusable fabric face masks for non-medical essential personnel and disadvantaged communities at a cost of R3,50 each. These masks will help flatten the curve by reducing the spread of droplets by infected individuals and will be distributed free of charge to those who need them. The target is to sew and hand out 10 000 masks by the end of lockdown. The Islamic Medical Association (IMA) has also launched a campaign in partnership with the Gift of the Givers to raise funds for Personal Protective Equipment specifically for Doctors and Public Health workers.
Muslim theological bodies including the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and the Council of Muslim Theologians of South Africa (Jamiatul Ulama South Africa) continue to educate the remind the community to follow handwashing and social distancing measures, as well as to stay home during the lockdown period.
The Muslim Judicial Council has begun using mosque loudspeakers with the permission of the City of Cape Town to remind local communities of the required health and social distancing measures during the lockdown.
For interviews and further information contact:
Islamic Medical Association – Dr. Yakub Essack – 082 809 1182
Salaammedia – Azhar Vadi – 081 7064622
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa – Ml Ebrahim Bham – 083 786 2859
Muslim Judicial Council – Ml Abdul Khaliq Allie – 083 408 1071
END
Issued by Project Media Communications on behalf of the SA Muslims COVID-19 Response Task Team.
For media interviews, please contact:
Shanaaz Ebrahim-Gire
Mobile: 078 377 7117
Email: shanaaz@projectmedia.co.za
