At a glitzy gala dinner fit for a king, Durban businessman Vivian Reddy dedicated a new book on the Sibaya Community Trust’s philanthropic initiative to the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini.  

Reddy launched the book — which showcases the trust’s R250m spend on philanthropic responsibility in the province — at the event on Friday where minister of social development Lindiwe Zulu, MPs, celebrities including his wife, Real Housewives of Durban star Sorisha Naidoo, and the who’s who of Durban’s social scene were in attendance.

Reddy, the trust’s chairperson, told TimesLIVE the late king played an integral part in many of its projects and was consulted on the direction of the organisation.  

“The Sibaya Community Trust was launched by the late Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini. He told me the plight of the impoverished children and HIV/Aids and education must be our priority,” he said.  

Reddy said “just before his passing”, the king was concerned about poor children from rural areas not having access to critical corrective heart surgery. 

“To this end our contribution to the Children Cardiac Foundation of South Africa in honour of our late king saved the lives of 90 children.”

“The issue of gender-based violence and the lack of facilities for the abused was also his concern. We also intend to name a GBV shelter and the children’s wing at Eden Benson home we are rebuilding, after his majesty,” Reddy explained.  

He said the book was dedicated to the monarch — who was a source of inspiration.  

“At Sibaya Community Trust, we will always honour and revere his late majesty as he was the source of our inspiration as we strive to serve the less fortunate in our province.”

Reddy said the R250m spend on philanthropic responsibility made the trust one of the largest investors in social upliftment in the province.  

The trust supported over 200 non-profit organisations in various sectors. 

“From providing access to clean water, education, and health care to helping build infrastructure and providing food security for many families, our efforts have not only helped to improve the lives of the people we have served, but it has also helped to create a more sustainable future for our communities,” Reddy said.  

Trustee and former KwaZulu-Natal judge president Vuka Tshabalala said the trust received a continuous stream of calls for assistance. 

“Most of those 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 cancer, meet children whose parents 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 compassionate and decisive. I am proud to say that at Sibaya Community Trust, we have done so,” he said.  

TimesLIVE