Johannesburg – The SABC will use its broadcast platforms to create fund-raising awareness for Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, the hospital said on Thursday.

The public broadcaster and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust signed a memorandum of understanding in this regard at the SABC offices in Johannesburg on Thursday morning, hospital trustee Tiny Mhinga said in a statement.

The hospital would be built with the support of donors from across the world in honour of former president Nelson Mandela.

He said it would be a 200-bed world-class dedicated children’s hospital that would serve children in Southern Africa.

A total of R1 billion was needed to make the hospital a reality.

Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust CEO Sibongile Mkhabela said: “All children in Southern Africa need care, especially those most vulnerable. In most cases proper medical care is simply not available to them. This is a very serious problem.”

She said the hospital would address a great need, as there were only four children’s hospitals in Africa to serve nearly 450

million children.

“Millions of these children suffer from life-threatening illnesses and have little or no chance of receiving the specialised care they need.”

SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo said the company was delighted to announce the formal partnership, which would see the SABC generate significant awareness for the hospital. – Sapa