South African billionaire Motsepe donates $57 mln to fight coronavirus

A shopkeeper sanitizes the hands of a customer at the start of a 21 day nationwide lockdown aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Langa township in Cape Town, South Africa on March 27, 2020. (Reuters Photo)

JOHANNESBURG, March 28 (Reuters): South African billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe said on Saturday his group of companies would donate 1 billion rand ($57 million) to help fight the coronavirus outbreak that has forced the country into total lockdown as infections climb.

South Africa entered a 21-day lockdown on Friday with people restricted to their homes and most businesses shuttered.

The country has reported 1,170 cases of coronavirus and now faces a near certain deep recession.

Motsepe, President Cyril Ramaphosa's brother-in-law and head of investment firm African Rainbow Capital <AILJ.J>, said at a media conference the money would be channelled through the government to build water, health and education facilities.

The pledge follows a 1 billion rand donation each by the Oppenheimer and Rupert families, and a government package of more than 3 billion rand for industrial firms, and comes a day after the country lost its last investment-grade credit rating.