The Economic Freedom Fighters have donated R6m to the Solidarity Fund as part of the country’s national effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The party, which attached a proof of payment from Standard Bank in their latest statement, called on the Fund to use the money to work with companies that are black-owned or comply with black economic empowerment.
The Sunday World has reported that Business for South Africa (B4SA), which purchases personal protective equipment (PPEs) on behalf of Solidarity Fund, has appointed lily-white companies for the purchase of protective gear.
This forced the National Treasury to decentralise procurement of PPEs from B4SA, allowing state institutions to purchase PPEs from their preferred companies, using guidelines from Treasury.
“We hope that these funds will contribute to the improvement of our public healthcare system, the purchase of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and the building of facilities in poor communities. Also, that those with whom the Solidarity Fund will do business will be black-owned or BEE compliant companies,” said the party in a statement.
The country’s second-biggest opposition party thanked its public representatives who sacrificed a third of their salaries to contribute to the Fund.
The organisation called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and this national executive, MECs to produce proof that they have indeed taken a third of their salary to contribute to the fight against COVID-19, announced by the president.
“We challenge all other persons, companies and formations that have made commitments to contribute to the Solidarity Fund also to produce proofs of payment,” said the party.
