Artist and father of 3 Ernest receives light from Darren's Tip Jar

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"Ernest is a sculptor that has worked with the well known Durban artist Andries Botha for over a decade.

Unfortunately their work has been severely impacted by not only the pandemic, but now the protest action too.
They have battled to find substantial work since the beginning of the pandemic, but two projects recently came up that seemed to have turned the tide. Unfortunately, the one was a private commission and that person is no longer in a position to pay for the work. The second project was with the municipality and was meant to be a big one. This will obviously no longer be happening anytime in the near future.
In the meantime, Ernest has 3 children to support. Since the beginning of the pandemic, and the end of all sculptor related work, he has tried to make security gates and bars for people that live in Mayville, around him, but no one is really in a financial position to pay the true value, so he has found himself having to work for very little profit simply to feed his partner and children.
The other issue is that his partner, who has been financially supporting herself, her children, and her parents, on a basic cashier salary, was employed at the Pinetown CheckSave up until last month when she was transferred to the CheckSave in Mayville (to be closer to home). That Check Save no longer stands - it has been ravaged and burnt and it is doubtful that she will have work any time soon. So their only steady stream of income has now completely gone.
And because Ernest and his family did not engage in the looting they are now left with nowhere to buy food or nappies and no money to pay the exorbitant fees people are charging for basic (mostly looted) commodities in the townships.
He and his family are in a dire situation right now and could really use some financial assistance.

Take a listen to how happy he is to receive a call from us.
19 Jul 2021 2AM English South Africa Society & Culture · Daily News

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