On 30 July 2021, Daimler Trucks & Buses Southern Africa (DTBSA) collaborated with the Gift of the Givers Foundation with a donation of R500,000 in the form of food parcels to alleviate the current food shortage crisis. In addition to this, Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) invested R1 million. The combined effort on this initiative follows the recent unrest and violence that affected some parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng communities, and will help feed 3,000 families in essence.  

Michael Dietz, President and CEO of Daimler Trucks & Buses Southern Africa comments on this worthy cause: “As DTBSA we are joining other corporates who are responding on the ground to help those in dire need. It is indeed times like these that we need to work together to support each other. These food parcels will go a long way to relieve the ongoing food shortage crisis that resulted from the unrest. We are proud to have partnered with a well-established humanitarian-aid organisation that is at the forefront of making a difference, restoring hope and dignity to the vulnerable. If we continue with the Spirit of Ubuntu, I am confident that we will rebuild our beautiful country to return to its economic growth and success”.

Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Chairman and Founder of Gift of the Givers Foundation weighs on strong partnerships. “Gift of the Givers Foundation appreciates the generosity by DTBSA at this critical juncture in our history, when so many of our communities are suffering long-standing hunger, the global pandemic, unemployment, external economic factors, and the recent unrest has enhanced food insecurity in our country. Corporate intervention in dealing with the hunger crisis is critical as government resources are limited given our economic challenges. This contribution by DTBSA should serve as an ideal precedent for other foreign-based corporates operating in South Africa to come forward with similar initiatives”.

Gift of the Givers has rolled out 400,000 food parcels last year, and currently has an additional request for 30,000 since the onset of the unrest and violence. The Foundation is working diligently to reach out to priority areas timeously. The DTBSA contribution and the support with trucks to deliver these food parcels to the communities of Vosloorus in Johannesburg, as well as Greytown, Dalton, and Ndwendwe will in KwaZulu-Natal assist to accelerate the process.