GOODYEAR South Africa handed over a donation of R2,4 million to the Nelson Mandela University (NMU). The donation is primarily aimed at assisting students with current and legacy debts.
The company has over the years collaborated with the University in various initiatives which include enrolling the company’s employees and family members through its study assistance programme and developing Goodyear graduate-in-training beneficiaries through the NMU’s Business School.
The donation will also see Goodyear South Africa working closely with the University to identify students studying towards Engineering, Finance and Supply Chain degrees for an opportunity to participate in the company’s graduate, learnership skills development programmes. These training interventions are meant to alleviate youth unemployment and develop a talent pool for the company and the wider Eastern Cape.
This donation marks an expansion of the company’s ongoing commitment to the province. Over the years, to further support the local economy, Goodyear South Africa has gradually expanded its Enterprise and Supplier development strategy aimed at supporting local Small Medium and Macro Enterprises (SMMEs). Some of the SMMEs have since grown and are now suppliers to Goodyear South Africa.
“I am happy to say that we continue to stay true to our promise to be a good corporate citizen of the Eastern Cape with this donation to the NMU. This province is home to the Goodyear manufacturing plant in South Africa for over 75 years. It is also home to the majority of our employees. As a company, we took a conscious decision to focus our efforts towards initiatives aimed at uplifting the economy and communities in the Eastern Cape, and I am proud of the strides we have made so far,” says Managing Director, Goodyear South Africa, Richard Fourie.
In the last three years, Goodyear has contributed over R40 million through various learnership, enterprise and supplier development programmes.
