Johannesburg - Hundreds of industry leaders filtered onto the Nelson Mandela Bridge on Thursday night for the second Sun International CEO SleepOut.
Chief executives were invited to donate to three beneficiaries in the education sector in return for experiencing a night on the street. The bridge was lit up in the colours of the rainbow, and the City of Joburg declared the event “protected”.
Chief ambassador for the SleepOut Yusuf Abramjee said the event was set to be a success, despite a group of protesters at the entrance.
“We have proved them wrong, and this event is doing so much good. The number of people here and the dignitaries are proof of this,” he said.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura and the Australian high commissioner addressed the crowd after all the bosses and their employees had made their way onto the bridge.
Makhura said the organisers had chosen the perfect night to hold the event and he would be using it to engage the business leaders.
“This is the best night this winter to hold this; it will really test the resilience and determination of all here,” he said.
“They (CEOs) are making a difference by leaving their comfortable homes and going into the night for a cause.
“My cause is to try to have a conversation with each and every CEO tonight about how we can ease the entry of more young people into the labour market and into business.”
Joining the estimated 200 CEOs were a group of nominated inspiration matric pupils and students.
Mikateko Majoko, an 18-year-old from Tembisa High School in Ekurhuleni, was chosen to take part in the Tomorrow Trust, a programme that enables pupils to receive tuition from teachers on Saturdays and during holidays.
“It is great - I get to have the best teachers - the same ones that St John’s has, and now I am going to study law at Wits next year,” said Mikateko.
Adam Craker, the CEO of IQ Business, said they were just one benefactor of the Tomorrow Trust.
“We have been involved with them for four years and we love that we can help inspirational young people like Mikateko.
“We enable the process of getting them to graduate - much like the goal of the CEO SleepOut,” said Craker.
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi will join a group of CEOs on a roadshow of the schools that are also holding sympathy SleepOuts.
The organisers hope to raise more than R40 million. More than R26m was raised last year.
THE STAR