SA to deliver Cyclone Idal aid to Zimbabwe 2 years after pledging to help

South Africa says its Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor will travel to Zimbabwe on Africa Day, 25 May 2021, to officially hand over, on behalf of South Africa, the first consignment of aid that the country is providing to the people of Zimbabwe who were affected by severe flooding in 2019 Cyclone Idal.

The department says the donation is in response to Zimbabwe’s request for help:

“In March 2019, South Africa responded to an appeal from the Zimbabwe Government for humanitarian assistance in response to infrastructure destruction and loss of human life caused by severe flooding Cyclone Idal.”

Pandor will visit Zimbabwe to hand over the donation composed of 450k bags of 12.5kg maize meal to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa will receive the consignment on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe at the State House in Harare, Zimbabwe,” said the department on its Twitter handle.

Meanwhile, the donation is coming two years after South Africa pledged a package of R50m to help Cyclone Idai victims.

-Zwnews