Precious metals miner Sibanye-Stillwater, gold miner AngloGold Ashanti, energy and chemicals company Sasol and logistics company Imperial Logistics have formed a strategic partnership to distribute hand sanitisers to school health facilities and taxi ranks.

As part of the partnership, Sibanye will distribute hand sanitisers produced by Sasol to the facilities within Sibanye’s and AngloGold’s host and labour-sending communities in South Africa.

According to Sibanye, infections and Covid-19-related deaths are escalating and hospitals are facing the challenge of rapidly rising admissions, thereby making the partnership a “just-in time intervention” by the four companies.

CEO Neal Froneman says the safety, health and wellbeing of Sibanye’s employees is the company’s primary concern and its focus of providing a safe working environment is unwavering.

“We also recognise the need to work with government to support communities that host our operations in managing the scourge of Covid-19.”

Sasol, AngloGold and Sibanye will jointly share the costs of producing the hand sanitisers, while Imperial Logistics will distribute the hand sanitisers to communities in the Free State, Mpumalanga, North West, Limpopo and Gauteng provinces where Sibanye and AngloGold operate.

The programme will also be extended to some regions in the Eastern Cape.

Sasol has appointed the toll manufacturer and will also oversee the production, packaging and preparation for safe transportation of 94 550 ℓ of hand sanitiser.

Sasol base chemicals senior VP Thabiet Booley says the company recognises its duty and responsibility to support its customers, communities and society at large in these challenging and uncertain times. 

AngloGold health VP Dr Bafedile Chauke says the partnership aims to augment the impact of AngloGold’s relief efforts and, importantly, enhance general hand hygiene, which remains an effective line of defence.

“As we tackle the current unprecedented health emergency, it is crucial that we protect the most vulnerable in our country.”