President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday welcomed the decision made by Forum for South Africa’s Directors-General to contribute to the Solidarity Fund.
FOSAD members met on Sunday, and a decision was made to support the call by National Coronavirus Command Council for members of political leadership and the executive layer of the public service, to make contributions to the Solidarity Fund.
“We welcome this patriotic contribution by FOSAD members, who voluntarily made this decision. Every effort made to alleviate the devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, is highly appreciated,” said Ramaphosa.
“These Public Servants continue to demonstrate their commitment to the Batho Pele Value Statement: We Belong (to our people), We Care (about our people), We Serve (our people).”
At the meeting, FOSAD members also appealed to other senior public servants to dig deeper in their pockets and contribute to the Solidarity Fund.
“FOSAD has thus made a call for all public servants in national and provincial departments including those in public entities to donate to the Fund in an effort to support South Africans whose lives have been disrupted by the pandemic and care for those in hospital or medical care,” the Presidency said in a statement.
“Directors-General directed on amounts for donations by the Senior Management Service (Directors-General/ HODs, Deputy Directors-General, Chief Directors and Directors). This applies to all other officials remunerated at these levels including Advisors, political office staff etc.”
The department of public service and administration was tasked to further work on details, taking into account the relevant legal environment, and a circular with details will be sent to all departments in due course.
Ramaphosa announced the formation of the Solidarity Fund in March 23 when he imposed the country’s national lockdown, saying the independent relief fund would take care of all South Africans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In less than three weeks, the Solidarity Fund had received over R2 billion in donations pledged by companies and high net-worth individuals such as the Oppenheimer, Motsepe and Rupert families.
(Compiled by Inside Politics staff)
