“This Mandela day, Mondi South Africa staff thanked all health care workers for their extraordinary contribution in the fight against COVID-19,” explains Mondi head of stakeholder engagement Thobi Mkhize.

In the touching video, Mondi staff thank the nation’s health care workers from the bottom of their hearts, a sentiment echoed by the Forestry Sector and nation as a whole.

Mondi have also donated 100 000 medical-grade masks to protect frontline healthcare workers in KwaZulu-Natal.

“The contribution of companies like Mondi help The Solidarity Fund to augment Government’s efforts to prepare the health system to fight the pandemic and ensure critical equipment and emergency supplies are available where they are needed most,” said Nomkhita Nqweni, Interim CEO of The Solidarity Fund.
The masks, costing just under R10 million, were delivered to the KZN Department of Health on the 15 June through the Solidarity Fund and are the result of a truly collaborative effort across the Mondi global network.

“Mondi is committed to playing our part in the supply of essential products during the Covid-19 outbreak in South Africa. We hope that this donation will help provide much needed protective face masks to health authorities in KwaZulu-Natal. We want to help protect healthcare workers and curb the spread of the virus among vulnerable communities,” said Viv McMenamin, CEO Mondi South Africa.

Informal recycling collectors recover a significant amount of recyclables from households and office curbside, often travelling long distances with laden trolleys to buy-back centres.

“The effects of COVID-19, lockdown, the winter months and lack of access to water for handwashing has exacerbated the plight of so many people, in particular informal recycling collectors, who live hand to mouth,” explains project coordinator Anele Sololo, “with handwashing being the first line of defence against the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 we are also trying to improve access to simple handwashing facilities at people’s homes.”

Fibre Circle, the producers’ responsibility organisation for the pulp and paper packaging sector, the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa and its recycling arm RecyclePaperZA invested a combined R600 000 to deliver handwashing units, soap, cloth masks, food vouchers, children’s activity packs and blankets to 1 500 waste collectors in Springs, east of Johannesburg between 15-17 July 2020.

It also allowed people to do their bit for Mandela Day. “We encourage our colleagues in the forestry and forest products sector as well as the general public to donate a small amount towards the cause. In this way, they get to stay safe while we do the work,” says Anele. The donation link will remain open until 15 August. “We are just R5 000 short of our R30 000 and we hope that our colleagues in the forestry space will help us get there.”

If you want to contribute, click here.