Imtiaz Sooliman – Cape Town Fires Gift of the Givers steps in to assist.
AI: Summary ©
A representative from a university is speaking to students and firefighters about the cost of their work and the distribution of meals. The university has provided over budget meals for students and the firefighters, and the students have been patient and calm. The university is also working to prepare for COVID-19 and is cautious about the potential spread of the virus.
AI: Summary ©
The gift of the givers has also stepped in to assist in that
situation. You would know that some of these students are going
to need some clothes and food as well. The director of that
organization, Dr MTS, Suleiman joins us now live. Dr, Suleiman, a
very good evening to you. Thanks indeed for your time. I think many
South Africans are commending you for the work that you're doing out
in Cape Town while this fire continues to rage there. How many
people, students, firefighters? Are you assisting with food
supplies?
Good evening to you. The students from university. Count has been
4000 and the firefighters have been 160 and we've and of course,
the firefighters do rotate. So it could be around 200 we're not
sure, but whenever we go, then they should be around 165 fighters
the student comes to it varies late. It changes all the time. The
university has still been sorting out the list. And initially we
thought it was only eight or nine hotels. We now know they housed in
29 hotels and which last night, we provided 4000 meals for the
students. In fact, at some point the meals ran short because
reached out in good portions, and we had to go and get additional
five meals, which we arranged later, right? But the students
were very patient. They were very calm. They were very grateful, so
and then, as the man mentioned about toiletries when we got to
the hotel, they said, Look, we're sorry to travel, but we need a
soap, a toothbrush and a toothpaste. Yeah, we've packaged
all those items today, and it'll be get it'll be being delivered to
them this evening. That's quite a lot. Dr Suleman, I mean, how much
is this costing you a day? These are over a 4000 people. If you
look at students, that's just a 4000 and those numbers could
escalate while those lists that continue to be compiled.
It's 4003 times a day from today, when we spoke to the university on
on yesterday, they asked us to provide 4000 meals, and they came
back to us and they said, Can you make it 4003 times a day? And it's
12,000 meals per day, plus the firefighters and, you know, the
hydrogen character, so it's a substantial amount of money, but
fortunately, you know, we've got our reserves. And the public has
been very, very good. The corporate has been very good.
People have come forward, and I think we will be fine to survive
the next six or seven days or even longer. I guess, for anyone who's
trying to assist in the situation there, the hotels have come on
board. Corporates as you serve, also chipped in to try and assist.
What is it that you need as the gift of the givers at this point
to try and assist the students, as well as the firefighters, who are
clearly going to be out there for a very long time.
There's three categories. One is food. Secondly is dreams, and
thirdly, is hygiene items, you know, which the students have
mentioned. So food itself, we have the breakfast, the lunch and the
supper. And there's different types. Breakfast is more cereal,
eggs, sausages, bolognas, juices, yogurts. Lunchtime, sometimes it's
just a war stroll and coffee with it. And then the supper is a big
one, where we have different types of meals, chicken meal, fish meal,
greens, meal, button meal, we have to cater for the different tastes,
and so those who are vegetarian, for that halal and those who don't
eat strong food. So it's very like last night. We had to make three
different types of meals for the first night. So far, the students
seem to be fine. The UCD Council sits with us while members of the
council sit with us. And like today was the first day post the
fire post, the first feeling where we sit and design the menu
together and to send out the breakfast this morning, lunch this
afternoon, supper for this evening, and immediately after the
supper, we sit and plan for tomorrow's distribution. So the
food that the students get, the firefighters will get the same
food, the water, the drinks, the snacks, the energy bars that the
students get the firefighters will get, except that the students were
in addition get the hygiene items which they requested. Those are
huge numbers. Are you also getting assistance in terms of hands? One
of my colleagues, Corbin August, was one of at one of the hotels
where the students are have have this temporary accommodation in
terms of hands. Do you have enough hands on the ground to assist with
this kind of distribution?
Cape Town has been incredible. If we didn't stop the people of Cape
Town, we'll have more volunteers than students that need out. So we
had to tell them, please, we don't need so many people. They've just
been overwhelming the amount of people that have come forward.
Last night, we had an orthopedic surgeon and a politician fishing
out from the pot, putting into the form boxes, and there were
emergency medicine specialist and other doctors who came today,
again, there's a lot of doctors and all people, young people from
all walks of society, and so many people have called in, and we are
extremely thankful. Thank you very much, everyone. But it becomes a
problem with social distancing and making sure that there's not so
many people around you don't create a super spread event. But
covid is not gone yet, so we have to take the big caution, but we
are extremely grateful for the numbers of people that want to
assist.
The director of a gift of the givers, doctor, MTS. Suleiman,
thank you very much. And I think I would speak on behalf of all South
Africans, especially for the work that you're doing out there in
Cape Town. Thanks indeed for joining us on the program. So.