Businesses are co-operating to provide secure escort for relief and resupply efforts to distressed areas in KwaZulu-Natal, given delays and uncertainties with the re-opening of the N3.
The convoy is a co-operative effort by business organisations Sakeliga, Saai, and Neasa. Secure escort will be provided by Dyck Advisory Group, including armed personnel and air support.
The initiative serves as a contingency plan, given pressing needs in KwaZulu-Natal, should the safeguarding, repair, and clean-up of the N3 not be completed by Sunday morning. Contingent preparations are therefore under way for a securely escorted convoy of up to 20 vehicles to travel via alternative routes as early as Sunday morning, should it not be safe to travel along the N3 by then.
Businesses interested to have their vehicles and freight travel in the convoy, and charitable organisations wishing to send vehicles or freight, should contact [email protected].
Participating businesses must be willing to reserve up to 10% of cargo capacity for relief supplies by charitable organisations, to be loaded at a central point of departure in Gauteng. If impractical, other options such as a proportionate donation for purposes of chartered transport of the required relief supplies could also work.
Regarding charity, preference from will be given to contributions from charitable organisations rather than from individuals, given the logistical complexity of managing many donations. Reports from affected areas have so far indicated high demand for certain medical supplies and baby foods such as formula milk. Charities are encouraged to apply their own judgment.
Charitable organisations participating in the convoy effort will be encouraged to arrange with their own networks in the area for distribution of supplies, as they see fit, from a central point in the larger Durban area where the convoy will travel to.
Members of the public who would like to contribute to relief supplies are encouraged to channel such efforts through a charity of their choice, and to request the charitable organisation to liaise with Sakeliga at [email protected] should they be interested in joining the convoy.
Prospective members of the convoy should be available for a face-to-face meeting during the course of Saturday, to plan the trip.
Should safe travel via the N3 be possible before or by the intended time of departure, a security escort and travelling in convoy would evidently not be required. Participants would then be requested to proceed as they see fit and still make reasonable efforts to carry the prepared and donated freight from charitable organisations to a central point of delivery.
Issued by, Piet le Roux, CEO of Sakeliga.