Ministerial committee set up for Haiti
Pretoria - All relief activities to quake hit Haiti will be coordinated through a ten-member ministerial committee set up by the Minister for International Relations and Cooperation.
Maite Nkoana-Mashabane announced the establishment of the committee to be headed by her deputy Sue van der Merwe, on Sunday.
"The ministerial committee (is) to lead, integrate and consolidate all relief activities undertaken by various institutions in South Africa aimed at supporting Haiti," said the Ministry.
The committee will launch a province-based campaign to get South Africans to donate money, non-perishable food, medical supplies, clothes and other necessities that can be collected and shipped to the Carribean nation. The goods will be scheduled to arrive in that country on 27 April.
The Ministry said though many of the country's institutions have stepped in to assist the people of Haiti, more needs to be done.
Tens of thousands of people were killed and many injured in the January 12 tragedy.
Serving on the committee will be the Deputy Ministers of Social Development, Health, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Arts and Culture and Defence and Military Veterans.
The Gift-of-the-Givers, the South African Red Cross Society as well as Business Unity South Africa among others, will also be represented on the committee.