Our Giving Pledge

 

Dear Warren, Bill, and Melinda,

Africa is a continent of contrasts.

It has been the continent of civil wars, dictatorships, corruption, suppression of the media and human rights, disease, malnutrition, joblessness, and illiteracy; yet millions of families, parents, and community members are hardworking and selfless people who make sacrifices to improve the lifestyles and living conditions of their families and other members of their communities.

This selfless and compassionate characteristic is part of the age-old African culture of giving and caring for your neighbour and other members of your community. In South Africa it is embodied in the spirit and tradition of Ubuntu/Botho, in terms of which your well-being, happiness, and success is dependent upon and influenced by the wellbeing, happiness, and success of others.

I was exposed to the spirit of Ubuntu/Botho at a very young age. I remember as a seven year old working in my father’s grocery store, seeing poor members of our community receiving free groceries from my mother. My parents also regularly paid for the school and university fees of less fortunate children from our communities.

I was also a beneficiary of various people, black and white, in South Africa and in the US who educated, trained, mentored, and inspired me and whose faith and belief in me contributed to my success in my profession, business, and elsewhere. The same can be said about my wife, Precious and we are deeply indebted to them and many more.

My parents taught me about business and entrepreneurship and also about the duty of giving and caring for the poor and marginalised.

Precious and I recognize the huge responsibility and duty that the Motsepe family has to poor, unemployed, disabled, women, youth, workers, and marginalised South Africans. We also have an ongoing obligation of nation building, uniting black and white South Africans and contributing towards making Africa and the world a better place.

We have contributed over many years to education and health; the development and upliftment of women, youth, workers, and the disabled; churches; the development of entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs; rural and urban upliftment; soccer including youth soccer development; music and to other charities and foundations. In 1999 we established the Motsepe Foundation to undertake and oversee our various philanthropic initiatives.

The businesses that we started or participate in also became important instruments for job creation, education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and wealth creation.

Most of our donations have been private but the need and challenges are great and we hope that our Giving Pledge will encourage others in Africa and other emerging economies to give and make the world a better place.

We will continue to work with and encourage governments on the African continent to implement fiscal, legislative, anti-corruption, and other measures to ensure that their economies are globally competitive and attractive to private sector and other business investments. Economies that are growing and have ethical and accountable political, business and other leaders are better positioned and substantially more effective in dealing with poverty, joblessness, illiteracy, and disease.

Precious and I will contribute at least half of the funds generated by our family assets to the Motsepe Foundation to be used during our lifetimes and beyond; to improve the lifestyles and living conditions of the poor, disabled, unemployed, women, youth, workers, and marginalised South Africans, Africans, and people around the world.

The Motsepe Foundation will continue to focus on initiatives and projects which will assist the beneficiaries to become self-sustaining and independent.

I would like to express our deep gratitude to Warren, for the advice and wisdom he shared with me in Omaha and for inspiring thousands of people worldwide to give and care for the less fortunate.

We would also like to thank Bill and Melinda Gates for their encouragement and for providing us with additional information on the Giving Pledge during our meeting in Cape Town. Their work in Africa and other continents and their commitment to humanity continues to inspire us and many people throughout the world.

The three of you and your families represent the very best of America’s values, culture, compassion, and love.