About - Sibaya Community Trust

THE SIBAYA COMMUNITY TRUST, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE AFRISUN KZN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST, WAS FORMED IN APRIL 1998, WITH THE INTENTION OF BEING A CATALYST FOR SOCIAL PHILANTHROPY IN THE AREA.

The funds distributed by the Sibaya Community Trust are received in the form of dividends paid through Afrisun KZN (Pty) Limited, trading as Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom, in which the Trust holds a 9.3% share.

The Trust is chaired by Sun International Director Casinos South Africa Tristan Kaatze, with former KZN Judge President, Judge Vuka Tshabalala and businessman and Chairman of Sibaya, Vivian Reddy, as trustees. The board is committed to making the organisation one that our community can be proud of.

As a caring corporate citizen with a major focus on service, we strive to make a difference in our community by implementing improvements to existing facilities and infrastructure, as well as undertaking development projects.

Projects in the Social and Community Development, Health and Education sectors are considered, and the Trust is audited annually.

Our commitment to overcoming poverty and developing our communities stems from an overwhelming concern for people living in and around our communities for whom daily life is an ongoing struggle.

Vivian Reddy

Chairman of
Sibaya

ACHIEVING THE MILESTONE OF
R150-MILLION IN FUNDING
CONTRIBUTIONS IS CERTAINLY AN
AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT
FOR THE SIBAYA COMMUNITY TRUST…

It may, in fact, be the single largest CSI contribution by a private sector company in KwaZulu-Natal. As members of the Sibaya Community Trust, however, we do not see this as something to brag about. On the contrary, we see this as a culmination of a multitude of associations and partnerships.

By working with committed and passionate humanitarian organisations and individuals, we have been able to make this investment grow and have changed the lives of thousands of South Africans. And this is what really makes us proud – to say that we have played a role.

At the Sibaya Community Trust, we adopt what is referred to as the “triple bottom line approach’. We see our business as having three components – the traditional financial part as well as social and environmental elements. This philosophy drives our investment in several critical causes.

Apart from playing a humanitarian role, the Trust has also been recognised as a trailblazer by venturing into projects that have not been attempted before. Among them is MADI, the Matric Academic Development Initiative. Through this programme, we have targeted 11 rural schools that performed badly in the 2015 matriculation exams. Most of them achieved a 0-30% pass rate. Via a public-private partnership, we put in place aggressive remedial and corrective measures and are now aiming to achieve a 50% pass rate in these schools in 2016.

Another of our recent innovative interventions has been the establishment of the Chief Albert Luthuli Skills Centre (CALSC) in KwaDukuza. This venture will produce almost 1 000 new skilled individuals annually. The unique feature of this intervention is the fact that we will be attempting to place graduates in industry-suitable jobs ÷ a measure that will help to alleviate the unemployment crisis in the region.

While our charities are prime beneficiaries, our projects have also unlocked opportunities for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in various regions. To date, over R25-million of the R100-million investment has gone directly to Black, Indian and Coloured building contractors and professionals. In doing this, we have fulfilled our complete mandate to provide assistance to worthy causes and to create employment and opportunities for locals.

In conclusion, I wish to extend my appreciation to the staff of the Trust and my fellow trustees, the chairperson, Mr Tristan Kaatze, and the Honourable Judge Vuka Tshabalala for their commitment to our cause. May we continue to serve for a long time to come.

Tristan Kaatze

Sun International Directors
Casinos South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA IS ONE
OF THE MOST AMAZING
COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, WITH
OUR DIVERSE CULTURE, IMMENSE
RESOURCES AND BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE…

However, we are still affected by some very serious issues. Among these are inadequacies in our education system, the scourge of HIV/AIDS and high levels of poverty. These issues continue to affect the poorest of the poor and to stymie development and progress. While these problems are being addressed at a macro level by government, it is clear that these efforts are not enough. There is a very desperate need for additional assistance.

Through our investment in various programmes, the Sibaya Community Trust has provided such assistance and become a champion of the underprivileged, infirm and vulnerable. To date, we have invested the significant sum of R100-million in community-based initiatives. To many, this may seem a very large sum of money, but to us it is money well spent. Through our investment, we have managed to change thousands of lives.

In undertaking these programmes, we have invested in a variety of different projects. These range from infrastructural projects, like renovating and building schools, to the provision of counselling services for HIV/AIDS victims and the management of programmes to improve the quality of teaching in poorly performing rural schools. We have taken pains to ensure that all our projects are sustainable and well managed via the institution of rigorous screening and selection processes.

Through our work, we have been exposed to amazing philanthropy and incredible individuals. These people range from the very young to grandparents, who work tirelessly at community centres in faraway locations. So, while we celebrate the achievement of our R100-million milestone, praise should also go to these champions, who often form the backbone of these communities of care.

To end, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the team and trustees at the Sibaya Community Trust. There is hardly a day when they cannot be found traversing the rural expanses of KwaZulu-Natal, finding their way to charitable causes. We thank you for your dedication, commitment and passion.

Judge Vuka Tshabalala

Former KZN Judge
President and Trustee

THE GREAT DR MARTIN LUTHER KING
JUNIOR ONCE SAID: “LIFE’S MOST
PERSISTENT AND URGENT QUESTION
IS, ‘WHAT ARE YOU DOING
FOR OTHERS?’”…

This is an interesting question, but it is one that many of us choose to ignore. In fact, it is not only individuals who sidestep this issue, but several large entities and organisations. And this is a shame, because there are so many more who can give.

At the Sibaya Community Trust, we have contributed R100 million in funding to worthy causes. This is a fantastic achievement on the one hand, but it is worrying on the other hand. It demonstrates that there is a dire need for assistance out there. There is a desperate need for help in the alleviation of poverty, the combating of disease and the granting of equal access of opportunities for all.

At the Trust, we get a continuous stream of calls for assistance and most of these requests are worthy. We often spend hours deliberating on how we should allocate funding fairly. In undertaking this process, we are exposed to some very sad situations. We encounter individuals in the final stages of HIV/AIDS, meet children, who can barely afford to put a single meal into their mouths and visit schools where teaching is still done on terraces.

In such cases, you have to act quickly. You have to be aggressive and decisive. I am proud to say that at the Sibaya Community Trust, we have done so. Our R100-million contribution bears testimony to this.

In undertaking our work, we have also taken care to respond to the needs of communities closest to home. Therefore, we have gone into local homes for the aged, orphanages, schools and hospices. We also take pains to ensure that funds are properly spent through the institution of diligent monitoring and reporting processes.

To conclude, I would like to share another important message – this time from our own Nelson Mandela. He said: “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice.”

Let us all take heed.

OUR IMPACT

CAPACITY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

DISABILITY ORGANISATIONS

HEALTH ORGANISATIONS

RENOVATIONS

BUILDINGS

SCHOOLS

CRECHES

CARS

THE SIBAYA COMMUNITY TRUST, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE AFRISUN KZN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST, WAS FORMED IN APRIL 1998, WITH THE INTENTION OF BEING A CATALYST FOR SOCIAL PHILANTHROPY IN THE AREA.

Vivian Reddy

Tristan Kaatze

Judge Vuka Tshabalala

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