SAP’s Siphiwe Sibanda, Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Achmat Dangor and SAP’s Karim El Salamoni
August 2, 2010 – On Friday the Nelson Mandela Foundation accepted a generous donation of R1-million from business software solutions firm SAP.
The donation came ahead of the Eighth Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture on Saturday, July 31, which was delivered by acclaimed Chilean-American author Ariel Dorfman.
SAP has supported the work of the Foundation for an extended period of time and has supported the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture since its inception.
SAP’s Human Resource Director Siphiwe Sibanda said: “We share common interests: We are passionate about development and poverty alleviation and grooming the next generation, and these are the values that the Foundation stands for. We are happy to support the legacy and the advancement of ... the values [of Mr Mandela].”
The Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Resource Development Manager Ruth Rensburg said: “We are extremely grateful for the support that SAP provides and we have already discussed how they can support other programmes like Mandela Day. We are grateful for this and all the other contributions that we receive, as they help us in taking forward the Foundation’s mandate.”
Donations of this kind are vital for the Foundation to continue its work, contributing to the making of a just society by promoting the values, vision and work of Mr Mandela through the Dialogue and Memory Programmes and events like the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture.
CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Achmat Dangor, said: “This partnership with SAP has been an enduring one. Not only have they funded the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture since its inception, but they have [also] become very active in supporting the activities leading up to the Annual Lecture and we are working with them to [help them] become a company that promotes the ethos of Mandela Day.”
The donation is part of a three-year commitment from SAP to support the work of the Foundation by providing R1-million a year for the next three years to ensure that the legacy of Mr Mandela is continued forward into the future.
Corporate Affairs Executive Sunil Geness commented: “SAP has been a long-term donor and our commitment goes beyond handing over a cheque. We didn’t hesitate when it came to renewing our contract and we are committed to the solid programmes that the Nelson Mandela Foundation run, that allow individuals and big conglomerates to make a contribution to humanity.
“The openness, transparency and innovation [of the Foundation] are values that resonate with SAP – it is about development and [putting] South Africa ... on the world stage. We believe in the legacy of Mr Mandela,” Geness continued.
The Eighth Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture took place on Saturday, July 31, at the Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg.
SAP’s Human Resource Director Siphiwe Sibanda, Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO Achmat Dangor and SAP’s Director of Government Relations