The Johanniter Hilfswerk has existed for almost 30 years as a non-profit organisation. It was registered on 7 September 1990 as a company with the aim “to perform charitable work and to render community services without regard to religion, nationality or race of beneficiaries”.

The company has concerned itself with the task of raising funds to finance the establishment and running of specially identified charitable and educational organisations where the company acts as trustee. The company further provides those organisations with management skills and assets on a rental basis.

Since 1 August 2010 the activities of the Johanniterorden have been incorporated into those of the Johanniter Hilfswerk with its own objectives which include the following:

• To care for the sick, disabled, the frail and aged.
• To be involved in various ways in community support centres and to work with other institutions in this field.
• To set an example by personal behaviour and actions to fellow members of the community for a practising Christian attitude, values and virtues of life.
• To promote the preservation of traditional values, decency and honourable behaviour within the community.
• To set an example for the youth for decency, modesty and voluntary service.

The Gruppe Nord (Johannesburg/Pretoria) mainly supports The Baby Therapy Centre in Pretoria and the Altersheim in Johannesburg, while the Kapgruppe mainly supports the St. Johannisheim and iThemba Labantu.

The Kapgruppe supported the following organisations in the past financial year:

• Johannis Heim: R90,000 for the furnishing of the new Mountain View-wing, being an extension and improvement to the present Frail Care centre, as well as better facilities for all the residents on the premises of the St Johannis Organisation. Another R5,000 was donated towards the certification and appreciation-function of the nursing staff of SJO.

• iThemba Labantu: R80,000 towards mostly the education and sport facilities-project of the primary school on the premises.

• The Learning Initiative (Professionals empowering communities): R27,500 towards the annual subscription renewal for their two devices (1080 tests per year for hearing and vision each), headphone calibration of devices, and the purchase of a laptop for their offices.

We want to help with new initiatives, active members and supporters where there is a need and where opportunities exist for us to invest our energy and money in. Otto Gerntholtz, the head of the Johanniterorden Kapgruppe, is pressing ahead with these initiatives. He will give further details about this in future working sessions.

Klaus-Gerd von Pressentin (Chairman)