The Solidarity Fund, whose mandate was focused on a rapid response to the Covid-19 pandemic remains on track to close by September.

The fund in March announced that it would wrap up its operations with a complete closure by the end of September.

The fund, however, would continue to exist in a state of dormancy, with the expectation that it can remobilise rapidly and effectively should another national crisis happen again.

As the wrapping up processes were being set into motion, floods struck KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape in April.

The fund responded by creating the Solidarity Fund Floods Response pillar and put action plans in place to establish the need and determine what impactful humanitarian support could be provided.

The Floods Response and the everyday operations of the fund continue as existing interventions and formal processes to close the fund continue.

Almost all the interventions undertaken under the Covid-19 response pillars, as well as the Humanitarian Crisis Relief Fund (HCRF), are noted as being either complete or in the process of being completed.

The Solidarity Fund Floods Response is a rapid response intervention that is intended to provide immediate aid and will be wrapped by September.

FIGURES

Since inception, R3.47-billion in Covid-19 relief funding has been raised. Of the funds, R3.14-billion has been disbursed, to date, including R2.2-billion in the Health Response Pillar; R430-million in the Humanitarian Pillar and R505-million in the Behavioural Change Pillar.

Further, the HCRF, established as a direct response to the challenges resulting from the unrest in July 2021, has raised R598-million, including R100-million redirected within the Solidarity Fund. This amount has been fully disbursed.

The newly established Solidarity Fund Floods Response has raised R30.8-million, including R5.5-million redirected within the Solidarity Fund.

The numbers quoted above are accurate as at June 10.

SOLIDARITY FUND FLOODS RESPONSE

After the floods in April that impacted KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, the Solidarity Fund resolved to support and augment the national government response to the floods and the resultant after-effects on both infrastructure and broader society in these areas.

The Solidarity Fund Floods Response pillar was established to manage the flood response activities and is managed separately from the fund's other pillars.

To date, about R30-million in funding has been received in donations.

With these funds in hand, the Solidarity Fund Floods Response has already completed a situation analysis and project plan and contracting with selected partners has been finalised.

The R30-million in funding available comprises donations received from a number of corporates, foundations and individuals. All funds have been allocated to organisations that are already providing on-the-ground relief in KwaZulu-Natal or have disaster relief experience in the Eastern Cape.

A closed funding call to several organisations providing critical activities and services related to the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape flood relief efforts was done and proposals were assessed according to a matrix including criteria such as understanding and response to the need; potential for rapid mobilisation and operationalisation; potential for sizeable impact; and improved outcomes.

Meeting the Solidarity Fund’s stringent eligibility and due diligence criteria was also a requirement.