Cabinet has urged South Africans to participate in the African Union’s (AU) SMS mobilisation campaign against Ebola.

The African Union Commission has so far raised more than $20 million in donations through its hashtag: #AfricaAgainstEbola campaign, but more is still needed, said Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe, on Thursday.

He encouraged the public to send a ‘Stop Ebola’ SMS to 40797 to donate R10 to the campaign.

“South Africans will not only be donating R10 but will also fuel the hope and determination that Ebola can and will be stopped,” he said.

The Ebola virus disease, a severe and often fatal illness in humans, has reportedly killed 6 346 people in West Africa, with more than 17 800 infected.

Most cases were in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.