ESG News South Africa

Houses for poor from SABC, AMAHA

The SABC and AMAHA (African Musicians Against HIV-AIDS) have entered into a three-year contract to build 450 houses for the poor in various areas identified across the country. To kick-start the campaign, President Jacob Zuma, SABC group CEO Solly Mokoetle and AMAHA chairperson Doc Shebeleza handed over the first four homes in Grasmere on Monday, 5 July 2010 as part of the launch.

AMAHA representatives will go to each province and engage the local government authorities and community leaders such as church leaders to identify suitable recipients. The SABC will also assist n this identification through radio and TV platforms.

50 houses will be built and given to the needy in the 1st year of this partnership.

"AMAHA and the SABC have been in partnership for some time now. As a broadcaster that reaches out to more than 24 million people per day, our role within this partnership is to publicise the good work that our musicians are doing and to support government in the provision of a better life for all. We are therefore providing our radio and television platforms to participate in the housing project that AMAHA has initiated, together with other stakeholders. We believe that this project will empower the nation, in line with our vision of 'Broadcasting for Total Citizen Empowerment'," said Mokoetle.

Listeners of the various radio stations will also be requested to assist in identifying people staying in abject poverty and will be encouraged to forward the names of those people to community leaders or local government authorities in their region.

The initiative will assist each the SABC's 15 PBS radio station to deliver houses in their region of broadcast. Radio stations Ukhozi FM, Umhlobo Wenene FM, Lesedi FM, Ligwalagwala FM and MLFM have been identified as the stations to carry this campaign. SABC 1 will also continue its relationship with AMAHA on other mutually beneficial projects.

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