Food, blankets, plastic, clean water and clothes — here’s how you can help relief efforts in KZN

As heavy rains and floods continue to wreak havoc in large parts of KwaZulu-Natal, several humanitarian organisations have announced relief efforts to aid affected communities in the region.

Here’s how you can join relief efforts or donate to help those in need.

HOW CAN I HELP?

GIFT OF THE GIVERS

Gift of the Givers said hot meals, blankets, bottled water, warm clothes, sanitary pads and diapers are the initial requirements for those in low-lying areas who have lost their possessions.

Anyone who wants to donate via Gift of the Givers can make a monetary donation to: 

Bank: Standard Bank

Account name: Gift of the Givers

Branch code: 057525

Account number: 052137228

Reference: KZN Floods.

Please send the deposit slip to donations@giftofthegivers.org for a formal acknowledgment and to request a section 18A tax-deductible certificate.

The NGO said it has been receiving offers for donations from corporations.

It said it will leave roads, bridges, drainage and other public infrastructure repairs to the government but may consider fixing schools and health infrastructure. 

“Our teams are busy with on-site assessments and identifying areas of severe damage and avoiding duplication. Community members are also providing feedback. Private homes and businesses should be covered by insurance companies. It is the informal settlements, houses in low-lying locations and the non-insured who are dependent on a compassionate nation to assist them in their hours of distress,” said the organisation.

ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION

Co-ordinator of the Robin Hood Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in KwaZulu-Natal, Jackie Psannis, told TimesLIVE they have been inundated with donations at their six drop-off spots in the area.

She said there is a need for non-perishable items (such as rice, sugar beans and maize), clothing and household items.

“We foresee relief taking the form of food drives in the days and weeks ahead. We are appealing to anyone who can help to donate whatever they can. Realistically, anything that can fit into a black bag. We are collecting donations and taking them to the harder-to-reach areas in northern KZN where communities have been severely affected.” 

Psannis said the foundation was also collecting plastic or any other material that could help to rebuild homes destroyed in the flooding.

The six drop-off sites for donations are:

• CGA Agencies, 235 Underwood Road, Pinetown, 031 708 1018, 8am-4pm;
• Broadway Pharmacy, 5 Swapo Road, Durban North, 031 563 8216, 8am-7pm;
• Wool ’n Weave, Lillies Quarter, Old Main Road, Hillcrest, 031 765 2770, 9am-4pm;
• Dormehl Phalane Real Estate, Gillitts Centre, Clifton Road, 082 726 1956, 8.30am-4.30pm, and ;
• Washwell Granada Laundry, 16 Chartwell Drive, Umhlanga, 083 299 4008, 7.30am-4.30pm.

Monetary donations will be used for rebuilding and relief projects, and can be made using the following banking details, or via the other payment methods on the organisation’s website.

Bank: Nedbank

Account name: The Robin Hood Foundation

Branch code: 164826

Account number: 1648160948

Reference: Your Name/Flood relief

THE ANGEL NETWORK

The Angel Network NPO, with offices in Durban, is offering relief to affected communities.

“After the July unrest last year we strengthened our relief network which we will be calling on to assist. The biggest challenge is access to the areas that have been hard hit. Some areas have been completely washed away. We are speaking to stakeholders to try to airlift or drive resources into hard-to-reach areas,” the organisation’s Rachel Kinloch told TimesLIVE.

Kinloch said among the much-needed items are clean water and food.

Donations can be dropped off at any of the following locations:

• Gate A at Kings Park Stadium, SA Harvest Warehouse, Jackson Road, Durban;

• St Martins Church, 12 Chelsea Drive, Durban North, and;

• Gate 3, 3 Far Lane, Mt Edgecombe.

Monetary donations will be used to rebuild homes destroyed in the flooding. These can be made using the following banking details, or via the other payment methods on the organisation’s website.

Bank: Standard Bank

Account name: The Angel Network Durban

Branch: 051001

Account Number: 10145040508

Reference: Flood relief

TimesLIVE is calling on all organisations currently providing relief efforts in KZN to contact us with information on their outreach.

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