Festive season message from the CEO

We are living in an unprecedented time as the world adjusts to the rapidly changing dynamics created by the COVID-19 Pandemic. During this challenging time, at South African Library for the Blind (SALB) we believe it is more important than ever that we demonstrate our core values. As a result, we have taken action to protect the health and safety of our national community of members and employees.

We formed an executive level task force to respond to the COVID-19 situation and are closely monitoring guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Department of Health and as well as local government authorities to help shape our policies and guidance. Most of the SALB employees can work securely from home when it is needed, and we do everything possible to keep the service running as smoothly as the circumstances will allow.

First and foremost, we would like to thank our staff, for what has already been done to weather this crisis and to get the SALB prepared to cope with the situation. 

The safety of all of us is paramount. We can only make positive contributions and live our purpose and values if we stay healthy and avoid spreading the virus as it is not moving but people are moving it. Please stay at home and avoid gatherings.

In addition to the immediate and grave health concerns, we are seeing a much wider impact on all our lives as well as the global economy. Understandably, there is a great sense of unease everywhere in the world.

I look forward to 2021 with anticipation. As this year nears its end, we enter a time of reflection and excitement for the Festive Season. I extend Season’s Greetings to all the Library’s members, Board members, Staff, Stakeholders, Friends, Associates and Partners, albeit a very different Festive Season to any we have known before. We thank each and every one of you, who, through your donations and support in 2020 allowed us to bring accessible reading material to the blind community across the country. A special thanks go to the Board and all our dedicated staff who have all been amazing, demonstrating enormous integrity and strength, especially during this year of great difficulty in delivering our core services to our valued members due to COVID-19 lock down and restrictions. My sincere gratitude and thanks to staff who worked diligently to support the Library Services and make this possible. We are proud of you and inspired by the way you have risen to the challenge with courage and caring hearts, thank you.

Let us be grateful for our blessings, especially in these trying times, and let us not forget to reach out to others who may need us at this time of giving. Many people are experiencing extreme hardships due to COVID-19, and so I ask that, to the extent you can, please provide a helping hand to the communities around you. Hoping that despite these difficult times of restrictions on socialising you also still experience the joy, excitement and merriment that is traditional at this time of the year.

We wish you a very Happy holiday season and may the New year be less troubled, and filled with much peace, prosperity and productivity!

Please stay safe, and do look after yourselves, your families and loved ones.

Merci, Obrigado, Enkosi, Ngiyabonga, Realeboga, Thank you,

Mandla Ntombela, CEO

The library will close over the Festive Season from 21 December – 04 January 2021.