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SA donations rolling in
05/01/2005 19:42 - (SA)
Pretoria - South Africa will donate a dozen 6m containers of shoes and clothing seized from smugglers by the South African Revenue Service to tsunami survivors, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced Wednesday.
The items will be distributed by the South African Red Cross Society.
The government has also promised to contribute funds and technical expertise, including sending engineers from its water and forestry department to help reconstruction efforts in stricken Asian nations.
Details will be announced after a meeting of international donors on Thursday in Jakarta, Indonesia, officials said.
There have also been numerous private initiatives to raise funds, including by media outlets and aid groups.
The South Africa and England cricket teams have organised a raffle after their test match on Thursday with T-shirts signed by the players as prizes. Tickets are being sold for R10 apiece and about R60 000 have been raised so far, officials said.
The Netcare 911 private emergency service said it has raised R4m for rescue and relief efforts. The South African Broadcasting Corp together with the Welcome Msomi Gateway arts initiative has raised just under R1m.
Nine South Africans have been confirmed killed in the tsunami, the foreign affairs department said on Wednesday. Six other South Africans have been reported missing and are believed dead, with an additional 885 unaccounted for in affected areas.
Deputy foreign affairs ministers Aziz Pahad and Sue Van Der Merwe signed a book of condolences on Wednesday at the Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria.
"The people of South Africa share your grief and we will do all in our power to assist your country," the message said. "We wish you to know that you have our friendship and solidarity during this awful time."
- AP
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