Imtiaz Sooliman – Cape Town Fires Gift of the Givers steps in to assist.

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.