Johannesburg - Pick n Pay will donate R4.5 million to the new Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital in Gauteng, the supermarket chain and the hospital said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
Pick n Pay chief executive Richard Brasher said the money exceeded the profits for December 15, the day of former president Nelson Mandela's funeral.
A number of other major supermarket chains, including Woolworths and Shoprite Checkers, opted to close on that day as a mark of respect for Mandela. Pick n Pay chose to stay open with the intention of generating money to donate to good causes.
Brasher said: “By opening our stores on Sunday 15 December, we gave our staff and customers an opportunity to contribute in a very tangible way to Mr Mandela's legacy.”
In addition to the R4.5m, which included a contribution from franchisees, Pick n Pay's regional teams would donate R500,000 to help provide equipment for children's homes, orphanages and care facilities in their areas.
“The total sum of R5m donated to good causes significantly exceeded our day's profits,” Brasher said.
He thanked Pick n Pay staff, franchisees and customers for their contribution.
Pick n Pay's external auditors, KPMG, checked the calculation of profits and confirmed that the amount donated to charities exceeded the profits of December 15.
Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital chief executive Sibongile Mkhabela thanked Pick n Pay for its donation, saying it honoured Mandela's legacy.
“We are proud that they chose our project and are confident that their donation will benefit many children in need for years to come.” - Sapa