Following the recent acts of violence and looting, some of our colleagues have suffered damages to the dental practices. Some colleagues have had their practices burnt down and others have been vandalised and looted. Nobody could have prepared for this level of destruction and devastation.

Considering the plight that has been visited on the colleagues, Exco has decided on this course of action to assist:1. A database of the affected colleagues with an estimation of the damages will be compiled.

2. Exco will be dispatching teams to assess the damages that have occurred and the estimated cost of the repairs. Thereafter, and with the assistance of the colleagues at the local levels, we will form teams to clean and paint the dental practices.

3. Colleagues are requested to pledge items of dental equipment, office furniture and dental consumables that can assist with restarting the dental practices.

4. A solidarity fund has been created and contributions will be disbursed to the affected colleagues in an equitable manner.The banking details are as follows:

The Dental Professionals Association
Standard Bank
Bank code: 051001
Account number: 002 139 235

Kindly use your surname-solidarity as reference. Send proof of payment to twalat@dpa.org.co.za

5. We are urging colleagues to offer locum support and temporary employment to displaced workers until the affected practices can restart with operations.
 

This is the time for unity and solidarity that will define our character as association and friends.
This is the time to sacrifice time and minor comforts for the benefit of society.
This is the time to come together.