The duo has indicated that South Africa has the highest number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Africa and that the government has prioritised public access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) — especially among communities in densely populated informal settlements and rural areas.

The funds provided by the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation are part of the foundation's €1.5-million donation to support WaterAid's work in vulnerable communities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Along with South Africa, where the work will last six months, the foundation will support WaterAid's work in Nigeria, Rwanda and Mozambique.

In Gauteng, a collaborative partnership with the national department of water and sanitation, the City of Johannesburg and Joburg Water will help secure 20 public handwashing facilities in disadvantaged communities such as Zandspruit, Kliptown and Kya Sands.

Hygiene items including sanitary pads, sanitizers and soap will also be provided to vulnerable women and girls in centers as part of the collaboration with government departments and the United Nations. In total, the project will benefit approximately 28 000 people with access to clean water to help them practice good hygiene.

These include communities in Thulamela and Makhado Municipalities in Vhembe District, as well as women and children at a Roman Catholic managed refugee camp in Musina where 12 handwashing facilities and 12 water storage tanks will be installed.

WaterAid's local partners Tsogang, will manage the project in Vhembe. According to the partnership, many people in these communities rely on household agriculture and will benefit from a sustainable source of clean water.

As custodians of this crucial infrastructure, local communities will be trained to manage the upkeep of the tanks, including replenishing them. To factor in key COVID-19 precautionary measures, social distancing indicators will be signalled and tanks will display safety information.

"Clean water, decent sanitation and hygiene is a basic human right but unfortunately many vulnerable communities — especially in sub-Saharan Africa — do not have access to it," says Suzanne Giele, the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation's general manager.

"The partnership with WaterAid and World Vision is the first phase in the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation's commitment to support the fight against COVID-19, with a focus on WASH activities. As the pandemic develops, the foundation will review where additional support is needed most for the first half of 2021," adds Giele.

Elijah Adera, WaterAid's Southern Africa regional programme manager, says, "Handwashing with water and soap is the first line of defence against COVID-19 but more than four million people in South Africa do'’t have access to clean water."

"Millions more have nowhere to wash their hands with soap and water, making it easier for diseases to spread. The support of the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation will provide vital assistance to our response work. The need for clean water and good hygiene has never been more pressing as we all battle to curb the spread of the virus," adds Adera.

"HEINEKEN South Africa has already donated over a million Rands' worth of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers in designated COVID-19 hospitals across Gauteng. Today, we are proud to partner with WaterAid South Africa through the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation to help vulnerable communities in South Africa better combat the pandemic, which is something we have always been dedicated to," concludes Millicent Maroga, corporate affairs director at HEINEKEN South Africa.

For more information, visit www.heinekensouthafrica.co.za. You can also follow HEINEKEN South Africa on Facebook or on Twitter.