Stainless steel producer Columbus Stainless aims to ensure the educational and social welfare of the Steve Tshwete local community through financial contributions and fundraising, says Columbus Stainless corporate affairs manager Nomsa Thosa.

The company endeavours to add value to the community in which it operates through its philosophy of assisting where needed and the vision of “making tomorrow stainless”.

For example, Columbus is sponsoring all local school sports fundraising initiatives and, as part of its efforts to promote stainless steel use, has donated stainless steel material worth more than R2-million to local churches, schools and other organisations over the past five years to assist in roofing and palisades fencing, besides others, highlights Thosa.

To ensure Columbus Stainless commits to its philosophy, it hosts the CEO Charity Golf Day every year to raise funds for charities.

Thosa explains that “the prestigious charity event, previously hosted biennially, is a renowned event on the local golf calendar and the decision to host it was not taken lightly, especially amid a global pandemic, but charity organisations need assistance now more than ever”.

The 2021 Columbus CEO Charity Golf Day was held on April 16, 2021 and Columbus Stainless suppliers and customers participated to raise funds for eleven charity organisations. The funds were shared among the organisations.

These organisations include self-help schemes like The Paul Mthimunye Bursary Fund, which awards bursaries to previously disadvantaged children; the school and hostel facility Bethesda House of Hope, which caters for children and youth with special needs; and local nonprofit organisation Christelike Maatskaplike Raad, which provides a comprehensive social service for the Middelburg, Belfast and Rietkuil communities, empowering them socially and economically.

Thosa says the financial contributions made through projects such as the golf day provide much-needed financial relief for the organisations, adding that, “owing to the pandemic, most of the funders for these organisations are pulling their funding, and so, it has become critical for corporates to intervene and continue supporting nongovernment organisations”.

Thosa highlights the importance of these financial contributions, citing for example that, without the Paul Mthimunye Bursary funding, the children who benefit from the bursaries are unable to complete their degrees, which, in turn, has an economic ripple effect on them and their families.

Columbus Stainless has also identified areas for future financial assistance, with Thosa noting that a plan to build a “much needed” laundry facility for the Bethesda House of Hope as a Mandela Day project is in the works.

However, despite its efforts to improve the community, “the needs of the community are vast and, unfortunately, a single company cannot assist everywhere”.

She stresses that through partnerships with contractors and other stakeholders, Columbus can make a notable difference, with the aim to leave a legacy in the Steve Tshwete local community that has hosted the company for more than 55 years.

“Our vision of making tomorrow stainless is engraved in the community that we assist, the employees we recruit locally and the material we so freely donate,” she concludes.