A South African military aircraft will deliver 18 tons of supplies to famine victims in Somalia this week, aid group Gift of the Givers said.
The C130 Hercules airplane would deliver essential food and anti-malaria medication to Mogadishu today, said chairman Imtiaz Sooliman. Department of International Relations and Co-operation spokesman Clayson Monyela said the SA National Defence Force would be delivering the supplies free.
This is Gift of the Givers' sixth flight to the region. The fifth flight landed on Saturday.
"It is heartening to note that Mogadishu civil aviation granted Gift of the Givers landing rights in less than five minutes of receipt of paperwork.
"[This was done] in appreciation of our continuous support to the suffering thousands in Somalia."
Sooliman said the Gift of the Givers was discussing the possibility of more flights with local and Somali government officials.
"There will be more but we just need to see if they will be sponsored as well," he said.
The famine in Somalia has killed tens of thousands of people, with more than 12 million people in need of food aid in the Horn of Africa.
The UK-based charity organisation Oxfam said yesterday, that South Africa was not doing enough for victims.
Oxfam official Irungu Houghton said the aid coming from the South African government was not enough given its economic status.
"African citizens have already rallied to the cause and made significant contributions. But now we need African governments to follow their lead," Houghton said.
Houghton said his organisation expected African governments to raise at least $50-million (R356-million).
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