Mandela Day Feature

MANDELA DAY FEATURE

BY JESSIE TAYLOR

RememberingNelson Mandela

Mandela Day: Join hands in overcoming food insecurity

July brings with it an opportunity for South Africans, and the world, to reflect on ways of improving our fellow citizen’s lives with the annual remembrance of former president Nelson Mandela. In the wake of the Covid-19, many South Africans have been left without income and job security, due to the economic burden created by the pandemic.

The enduring effects of the pandemic

Madiba, as South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994, is known as a champion of reconciliation. After retiring, Madiba continued his humanitarian work, advocating on issues such as global peace, children and the fight against HIV and AIDS. In 2010, the first Mandela Day was held and citizens were called to donate 67 minutes of their time to community service – one minute for every year Madiba spent fighting for social justice. This Nelson Mandela International Day, which is celebrated annually on the late statesman’s birthday of 18 July, South African’s are called to work together in tackling food insecurity.

For Nelson Mandela International Day 2021, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has called attention to patterns of poverty and inequality that have been deepened by Covid-19 – especially as the numbers of those going hungry have increased.

Estimates say that almost half of adult South Africans surveyed in late 2020 said that their households had often gone to bed hungry during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was as a result of not having enough funds to purchase food. One of the factors impacting household wealth has been the high unemployment rate, or people being unable to attend work, due to the pandemic. These statistics are compounding a problem faced by South Africans before the pandemic. Research indicates that before Covid-19, one in four six-year-olds in South Africa suffered from stunting due to malnutrition.

“While the Mandela Day call to action remains a general call to reach out to those in need, this year, our focus will be on the challenge of food security,” the Foundation said.

“By harnessing our Each1Feed1 programme to Mandela Day and developing the 4Cans4MandelaDay campaign, we aim to ensure that basic foodstuffs reach the most

The culture of giving back is strongly rooted among South African corporates, even in times of economic hardships.

vulnerable communities this July. In the longer term, we are committed to using our research and advocacy capacity to address the systemic issues which cause food insecurity in our country.”

Creating value to donations

Nelson Mandela International Day gives companies a chance to channel their funds towards, and encourage their employees to participate in, social organisations in need of assistance. The culture of giving back is strongly rooted among South African corporates, even in times of economic hardships.

The amount local businesses put towards Corporate Social Investment (CSI) in 2020 increased, despite the economic downturn. Many businesses stepped up in response to Covid-19, offering relief through donations to government programmes and community outreach initiatives. But businesses are not always sure where to channel their funding to create an impact, which is why partnering with organisations such as the Nelson Mandela Foundation can offer real value.

Each 1 Feed 1 Programme The Foundation’s Each 1 Feed 1 programme was launched in 2020 to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable communities deeply affected by Covid-19. This will continue to be a focus this year, with partnering businesses able to address the immediate challenge of families that do not have access to food.

Beneficiaries have included child-headed households, orphaned families, the elderly, people who are informally employed in the ECD workforce as well as people living with disabilities. The food pack has historically been robust and nutritious, capable of supporting a family of five for at least a month. On Mandela Day, the Nelson Mandela Foundation will be at the Ikageng Itereleng Aids Ministry, a social welfare centre in Soweto, Johannesburg for another Each 1 Feed 1 distribution.

Companies and individuals can also donate to #4Cans4Mandela Day, by donating non-perishable food items at all participating malls for Mandela Day. These will be supplied to the Each 1 Feed 1 food network for donation.

But various independent organisations can benefit from assistance this Mandela Day – ranging from school feeding programmes to soup kitchens – that offer assistance to communities in which your business may operate.

Each donation – of time, money, or food – will go towards reducing the impact of Covid-19 on vulnerable communities and those who may have lost their livelihoods due to the pandemic. n

LEGAL MATTERS BY SILKE RATHBONE |PRINCIPAL PARTNER, LABOUREXCEL

Mandatory Workplace Vaccinations

Can your employer force you to take the vaccination and how does this affect your constitutional rights?

The world has gone mad, or so it seems. We have been taken over by a virus – the stuff of movies, right? Well, it’s not a movie - it is very real – and we need to treat it as such.

Within a few short months, we have come to realise that life as we know it will never be the same again.

We walk around with masks, we need to be aware of how close we are to others, and we need to consider that in order to survive, we must look at a solution. That solution, or at least preventative measure, is a vaccination. Many have been sceptical about taking the vaccination. Talk of chips being implanted, making things worse and many other, what can only be viewed as conspiracy theories, have been thrown about. But, whatever you may think, this is an option we need to consider if we want to keep this nasty virus at bay.

How this affects businesses

Employers worldwide have also had to consider how to keep their businesses afloat during this pandemic and how to keep their employees safe.

As a result, many have resorted to remote working, asking their staff to stay indoors and work via online methods and tools with them and their clients and customers. This has worked to a degree, but for some businesses, they need to get back to the office, to the factory, to the shop, or to a place where everyone is together. Whether employers can force their employees to take the vaccination has come up and has been heavily debated.

If some employees are worried about taking the vaccination then their employers are also concerned because if they don’t get their employees to take it, they then risk infecting other employees or, alienating them and risking candidates not wanting to apply for significant positions in the business.

They are also worried that if the employees take the vaccination and have adverse effects, they may blame and even sue the employer.

Consultation is necessary

At the end of the day, what needs to happen first is a one on-one consultation with each employee, a conversation as it were, and the employer needs to know their facts to make it clear that:

They are implementing the compulsory vaccination project for the safety of their employees, suppliers and clients alike;

The business’ future success and sustainability rests on having a healthy workforce and that the vaccination presents a way to ensure this; The employer understands that the employee has freedom of choice, human rights and religious beliefs- and that they are open to understanding where the employees views stand;

The employer must take into account these factors when considering a mandatory workplace vaccination policy: age, comorbidities, risk of transmission due to job role, and any collective agreement in place on the subject.

Further, the employer must educate the employees with regards to the nature, benefits and risks associated with the vaccines.

The guidelines

And, the objectives of these guidelines should:

• Not supersede or undermine any collective agreement on the matter;

• Be general and broad in nature and deviation may be required based on the specific workplace;

• Be based on mutual respect and striking a balance between public health imperatives, employees’ constitutional rights, and the efficient operation of the employers business.

The policy must include:

• A notice addressed to the employees that they must be vaccinated as and when vaccines and safety committees are available;

• Where possible, transport to vaccination sites;

• Allowance for an employee to take sick leave or paid time off should they suffer side effects after receiving the vaccine, alternatively claim on behalf of the employee regarding the Compensation for

Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.