Transnet descends on De Aar to make a difference for Mandela Day

Transnet, a company with a long history of corporate philanthropy and community involvement, has continued to express its commitment and responsibility beyond business to the broader society by directing financial and human resources to tackling a myriad of social causes that stimulates engagement and promotes national cohesion.

An innovative volunteer programme

It is against this background that Transnet pledged its support on 18 July 2013 by getting involved, with its partners, in areas of need where its contribution and that of its staff can make a meaningful and sustainable difference in communities.

Through its innovative EVP, Transnet deploys the power and passion of over 60,000 employees to share their skills, knowledge and expertise to help improve communities across the country. The programme matches the broad wealth of skills and knowledge in Transnet with a range of developmental needs of receiving communities.

As part of Transnet's commitment to youth development, with backing from the Department of Public Enterprises, on 18 July Transnet mobilised hundreds of its employees who boarded a train overnight from Johannesburg to descend on the small town of De Aar with the aim of converting and refurbishing some of the disused Transnet real estate into a youth development hub.

De Aar Youth Precinct

The Youth Precinct will consist of:

• Youth Shelter for 20 homeless boys: A shelter which aims to take homeless boys off the streets and place them in a healthy environment from which they can be reintegrated into their families, society or be equipped with self-sustaining life skills.
  
• Youth Educational Centre: An education information centre offering access to a library, career information, higher education information, health care, and more. Provision of information and knowledge that will create informed and inspired young people from De Aar.
  
• Youth Recreational Park: A positive environment for youth to interact and socialise in constructive and safe surroundings. This will consist of, amongst other things, an outdoor amphitheatre, outdoor chess board and basketball pitch.
  
• Youth Enterprise Development: An exit strategy for boys older than 18 who have a sustainable occupation as artisans; boys will be trained to form their own small enterprises and contracted to maintain Transnet properties. This programme will be funded by Transnet Property.
  
• Youth Volunteers: A social club of youth volunteers who embark on monthly volunteering activities; youth who are engaged constructively and develop socially responsible values, and furthermore contribute towards volunteering activities that will impact positively on the landscape of De Aar.

Youth development

"We believe we can make an important contribution to society by going a step beyond corporate social responsibility to create value through our core business for our society, employees and shareholder," says Transnet Foundation head: Cynthia Mgijima.

Transnet ascribes to the philosophy that in order to prosper we need the communities we serve and in which we operate to prosper as well, and that long-term, healthy populations, healthy economies and healthy business performance are mutually supportive.

Guided by the belief that South Africa's greatest resource is its youthful population and that through their active participation, the country can surmount many of its challenges, Transnet's investment in De Aar re-affirms its long-standing commitment to youth development.

For more information, go to www.transnetfoundation.co.za.