Telkom pledges R15 million to fight coronavirus
Telkom has pledged R15 million to help South Africa’s healthcare sector fight the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko said the funds will be used to “support healthcare workers who are at the frontline of the battle against the spread of COVID-19, particularly in South Africa’s most vulnerable communities”.
“We believe it is up to each one of us to do what we can to flatten the curve and reduce the possible impact of this virus. particularly for those who rely on the public health system,” said Maseko.
“The donation is part of Telkom’s multi-pronged approach to support South Africa’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and its effects,” said the company.
It added that accessing learning material for universities and public schools online has already been zero-rated on Telkom’s network.
“Our business continuity and emergency response measures are in place to support increased demand for broadband bandwidth and voice calls across both the fixed and mobile network,” added Maseko.
Telkom said corporations and members of the public can donate money to the cause by dialing the following premium-rated short codes:
- 36757 – R5 donation
- 38771 – R10 donation
- 40773 – R20 donation
National restrictions
The announcement comes after reports that South African military forces may be deployed to patrol the streets in a bid to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The report stated that if there is a spike in coronavirus infections in the country, the army’s deployment would delay the need for a national lockdown.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize stated in the report that “if current restrictions do not limit the virus’s spread, the army will soon be patrolling the streets to enforce them”.
This follows the health minister stating that between 60% and 70% of South Africans are likely to contract the COVID-19 coronavirus.
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