Billions to be pledged at Global Citizen festival
The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) and the organisers of the Global Citizen have announced that more than R15 billion worth of investments will be pledged at the festival on Sunday.
The IMC, Global Citizen and the Motsepe Foundation held a joint press briefing on Friday morning on the state of readiness for the upcoming concert.
Chairperson of the IMC, Jeff Radebe, says the money pledged will go a long way in curbing some of the challenges experienced by ordinary South Africans.
"This one is more about government and individuals doing basic things to improve the quality of life of people in South Africa in Africa and across the globe.
"The commitments you are going to see there, even from our own government by the president, will be ensuring that the commitments when we sign the SDGs as SA, when we committed to the NDP we need to accelerate so that we provide sanitation for our people, sanitary pads for girls and the eradication of pit latrines. That is what we are talking about here.”
The much anticipated festival will feature renowned artists such as Beyonce, Jay Z, Cassper Nyovest, D'Banj, Ed Sheeran, Sho Madjozi, Usher and Tiwa Savage.
"It will be transmitted in over 180 countries across six continents via television and social media channels," adds Radebe.
Government says it is also expecting a few heads of state to attend the event.
"There are ten confirmed heads of state, but we also have heads of international organisations like the World Bank, other UN agencies. So as we move towards Sunday, you will get to know who those heads of state will be," says Radebe.
Co-Founder of Global Citizen, Simon Moss, says more than five million actions have been taken on the continent since the Global Citizen Festival SA was launched earlier this year.
"More than a quarter of a million of South Africans have taken action to earn tickets to come to he show this Sunday," he says.
Gates for the Festival will open at 11:00 while the concert starts at 14:00.