Lee Callakoppen (Bonitas Medical Fund), Dr Themba Hadebe (Bonitas Medical Fund), Dr Imtiaz Sooliman (Gift of The Givers), Professor Priya Soma Pillay (University of Pretoria) and Dr Hope Mpshe (Kalafong Hospital) near the new borehole. Picture / supplied
The Gift of the Givers Foundation and private healthcare provider Bonitas have jointly donated a borehole to Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.
The borehole will provide water to the hospital’s reservoir and supplement the municipal water supply by 150 000 litres a day. It currently yields 8 000l per hour and is literally ‘a fountain of life’ for this healthcare facility. In addition, eight 10 000l water storage tanks have been installed.
According to Bonitas, the water was tested using the South African National Standard 241 test, a drinking water specification that outlines the minimum requirements for potable water to be considered safe for human consumption, after an ultraviolet system was installed.
Principal officer of Bonitas, Lee Callakoppen, said the partnership between Gift of the Givers and Bonitas began in 2018, with the key objective to provide relief to the most vulnerable and marginalised communities, specifically in the field of healthcare interventions.
He said this programme, and the other projects carried out together with the Gift of the Givers, align with the scheme’s commitment to being the medical aid for South Africa.
“It is the perfect partnership, as we have the same passion and drive to assist where it is needed most, we donated R1.2 million as Bonitas to the Kalafong Hospital borehole project,” he added.
Chairperson of the School of Medicine at the University of Pretoria, Professor Priya Soma-Pillay said they rely on stable water supply to service patients adequately and provide a safe training environment for our students.
Soma-Pillay said the university uses Kalafong Hospital as a training institute for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
“I am grateful to Gift of the Givers Foundation and Bonitas for hearing our plight,” she said.
Founder of Gift of the Givers Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said they know what a difference consistent water supply has made to Kalafong Hospital.
He said the university reached out to Gift of the Givers with respect to water challenges at the hospital and they agreed to step up to another issue that required humanitarian aid.
“After all, clean water is life and clean water is health, we look forward to our continued partnership with Bonitas, always with the health and wellness of South African being the priority,” he added.
Pretoria News
lesego.montso@inl.co.za