Page 30 - 25 Reasons

Continuing

Madiba’s

legacy

People employed by De Beers
Group have taken up the
challenge to keep former
president Nelson Mandela’s
legacy alive by donating
R1.5 million towards his vision of
providing quality healthcare to
From left: Deputy inspector for Dilokong, Phasha Herbert; Twickenham mine children in southern Africa.
general manager Daan Breet; Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba; Sekhukhune The donation is a result of
district health director Linah Maepa; and Nelly Makofana, ward councillor, during the pledges made during Madiba’s
official handover of the ambulances centenary by the group’s South
African employees and
AMBULANCES TO THE contracting partner Masana
Petroleum Solutions towards the
RESCUE Hospital in Johannesburg.
Nelson Mandela Children’s
De Beers Group handed over
the cheque on behalf of their
employees to the hospital’s CEO,
Dr Mandisa Maholwana.
De Beers
By Lucas Ledwaba members in which the company operates is Group says:
prioritised, and says the new ambulances will “When
few years ago, a pedestrian in Limpopo help ensure residents receive better care. thinking
lay bleeding on a road for three hours “We look forward to continuing to support about an
Aafter being hit by a vehicle, and later this vital resource where possible,” said Muhajir. initiative to
died. The vehicles are desperately needed as support in
The man’s brother later remarked that, statistics indicate the province has the highest honour
although he had been born in the area, he had maternal mortality rate in the country, with 185 of Madiba,
not once seen an ambulance there. deaths per 100 000 live births. we were
The death of his brother, he said, could have The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals sets inspired by
been avoided if an ambulance had arrived on the ratio at four deaths per 100 000, but the the love and
the scene. South African national average is 133 per devotion he
But Limpopo, where about 80% of the 100 000 live births. had for the children of South
population live in rural areas and the road The lack of timely transport for expectant Africa. Guided by our Show We
networks are poor, suffers from a chronic mothers who require emergency care is one of Care value, we embarked on this
shortage of ambulances. the major contributors to this scourge. initiative to keep his vision and
The provincial department of health said the Added to that is the lack of adequate legacy alive by making a
ratio of ambulances to patients in the province equipment required for generic emergency care contribution that will have a
remains – like in many other provinces – far vehicles to provide the right level of care. lasting legacy towards providing
above the national target of one emergency Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba quality healthcare to many sick
vehicle for every 10 000 people. said during her budget speech for 2018/19 that children in southern Africa.”
In an annual report, the department said that the institutional maternal mortality ratio had Maholwana says: “We are
it had one emergency vehicle for every 47 290 decreased from 130 per 100 000 live births in grateful for the generosity of the
residents. This was attributed to its inability to the 2016/17 financial year to 111 per 100 000 employees of the De Beers
procure more ambulances due to financial live births in 2017/18. Group. This gesture is a true
constraints. She said that, while this represented progress, demonstration of the role that
Anglo American Platinum has, as part of its the department was “far from being satisfied, South Africans can continue to
efforts to help government serve the hence further efforts are in progress to reduce play in investing in the future of
community, donated two ambulances to the the institutional maternal mortality ratio as our children by supporting the
provincial department of health. indicated in the UN’s Sustainable Development vision of this hospital now that
The two vehicles cost R1.5 million. Goals”. it has entered its operational
The ambulances are now benefiting the Premier Chupu Mathabatha says the provincial phase. Madiba is surely smiling
Sekhukhune District Municipality and government aims to ensure that it eventually at the sight of South Africans
surrounding community of Ga-Phasha meets the national Emergency Medical Services continuing to live his legacy.”
Makgalanoto. One of the ambulances is kitted norms regarding a response time of 15 minutes The hospital is a 200-bed,
out for obstetric emergencies and the other is in urban areas and 40 minutes in rural areas. world-class specialist tertiary
for patient transport. Anglo American’s donation will help the referral facility providing the
The head of social performance at Anglo province deliver on its mandate and ensure that best medical services to children
American Platinum, Ted Muhajir, says the lives, like those of the pedestrian who bled to in southern Africa.
development and health of the community death on a lonely rural road, are saved.
30 ANGLO AMERICAN 25 REASONS TO BELIEVE