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The Solidarity Fund has announced that it will discontinue its operations at the end of September, following a resolution taken by the board last month.
The fund believes that it has fulfilled its mandate, which was to intently focus on a rapid response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The fund was established with a very specific and limited mandate and was never intended to be a long-term solution, but rather an urgent, interim, impactful and significant intervention in augmenting government’s response to the unfolding Covid-19 crisis,” said Didi Masoetsa, spokesperson of the fund.
READ: Six months of the Solidarity Fund: How is it doing?
Masoetsa says that monies are fully allocated and no further fund-raising will be enacted.
“As of March 16, just under R3.8 billion in Covid relief funding has been received, including VAT and interest, and just under R3.3 billion disbursed,” read the statement.
The funds paid out under the health response pillar add up to R2.3 billion, R429 million under humanitarian support, R458 million under behaviour change and communications, and R100 million transferred to the Humanitarian Crisis Relief Fund. A further R497 million was contributed to the fund following the July unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng last year, and R100 million worth of internal resources were allocated for use.
“Of this amount R573 million has been disbursed to date. The balance of the funds have been allocated to programmes, leaving R1 million available.”
The fund acknowledged that the nature of the pandemic has changed, in large part due to the mitigating effect of the vaccine programme.
It says that:
The fund has allocated R171 million to finance over 200 government-run outreach sites, which have administered 850 000 vaccinations to date, across the nine provinces.
External audits for the 2022 and 2023 financial periods, together with Solidarity Fund impact and close out reports will be conducted.
“The bulk of the formal process to close the fund will take place from this month through to July, and the final plans and processes will take place through August and September,” read the statement.
READ: WATCH | Solidarity Fund unpacks role in supporting vaccine rollout
Tandi Nzimande, CEO of the Solidarity Fund, said “The fund is unique in the world, bringing government, business and civil society together in a unified battle against a great threat.”
Nzimande added that it stands as a global example for solidarity and impact delivery in a time of crisis.
“I know I speak for the whole Solidarity Fund team when I say it has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve our country in this manner.”
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