2010-08-18: Mayoral Golf Day to raise millions for AIDS charities
JOHANNESBURG'S annual Golf Day to raise funds for Aids-related charities takes place on Friday (20 August) at the Houghton Golf Club.
Hosted by Clr Amos Masondo, the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, this event has raised more than R8-million since 2004 for hospices, home-based care and support groups focused on people affected by HIV-Aids.
Mayor Masondo says the Golf Day is a unique opportunity for the people of the City to join efforts in support of a worthy cause.
"The 2010 World Cup has demonstrated the ability of Joburgers to unite behind an event of national importance. Now is the time to make a similar contribution to support people – especially children – who have been infected or affected with HIV-Aids," says Mayor Masondo.
The Golf Day is one of the initiatives of the Johannesburg Aids Council (JAC), a representative body which also includes members drawn from groups such as youth, women, faith organizations, People Living with HIV and AIDS, academic institutions, sports bodies and the media. The JAC is similar to the national and provincial AIDS Councils and provides advice to government on HIV and AIDS issues.
The Johannesburg Mayoral AIDS Fund was established in 2005 to generate funds to support community programmes and projects for vulnerable groups. This initiative is supported by the Johannesburg AIDS Council and the money raised supports orphans, child headed households and destitute families across the city.
The first initiative of the Mayoral Aids Fund was the Joburg Buckets of Love and Care programme, during which vegetables and fruit provided by the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market were distributed to some 3 000 needy individuals and families in November 2005.
The project was a response to the challenges faced by those living in the city who are infected with and affected by HIV and Aids. These are mainly elderly people looking after orphaned grandchildren and orphans without adult support who have to take care of their families. The buckets were filled with essential, non-perishable foodstuff such as maize meal, samp, beans and sugar.
Another project the fund supported was the distribution of 800 blankets to destitute street children. Social services, schools, regional co-ordinators and non-governmental organisations identified the needy children.
Both projects were used as an opportunity to promote the services provided by the City in its fight against the HIV and Aids pandemic, while also identifying vulnerable people. These include child-headed families and the elderly who are sick and bedridden.
Background to the Johannesburg Aids Council:
The Johannesburg Aids Council was established by the Executive Mayor, Clr Amos Masondo in November 2001 to advise the City on Aids-related issues and campaigns and to mobilise communities to support fund-raising and awareness programmes. The Council is chaired by Dr Clarence Mini and includes representatives from organisations such as the Township Aids Project, the Traditional Healers Association, the Human Rights Commission, the Public Service Commission, the SA Council of Churches, the AIDS Law Project, the Universities of Witwatersrand and Johannesburg, the private sector and organized labour.
Aims of the JAC
- To create a platform to review matters related to HIV and AIDS in the City of Johannesburg.
- To enjoin all the City's inhabitants in the war against HIV and AIDS and visibly demonstrate support to those infected and affected.
- To actively review, monitor and evaluate the intersectoral response to HIV and AIDS in the City.
- To advise the City of Johannesburg on ways and means of reducing the impact of HIV and AIDS.
Functions of the JAC
- To assume an advocacy role that will highlight issues related to prevention and care of those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
- To support communication efforts around issues to related to HIV/AIDS that are disseminated by the HIV and AIDS and STI Programme around prevention and awareness.
- To contribute materially towards the training of AIDS activist, Home based care initiatives and other outreach campaigns.
- To jointly plan and conduct major campaigns in the calendar year such as – Valentine's Day, Candlelight and World AIDS Day etc.
- To coordinate and strengthen the partnership with the Gauteng AIDS Council and the National AIDS Council
Attached is a list of previous beneficiaries.
Issued by:
City of Johannesburg
For more information:
Nkosinathi Nkabinde
Communications Specialists
Telephone: 011 407 6477
Fax: 011 339 1443
Cell: 083 408 7787
E-mail: nkosinathin@joburg.org.za
OR
Nthatisi Modingoane
Deputy Director: Communications
Telephone: 011 407 7354
Fax: 011 403 3494
Cell: 082 467 9228
E-mail: Nthatisem@joburg.org.za
