Tension rising over no-show food relief from Ekurhuleni metro

Community leaders in Windmill Park and Ramaphosa informal settlements said they have been receiving complaints from angry residents who have not received food parcels since the lockdown commenced.

This comes after they registered for the Ekurhuleni Covid-19 food relief parcels, which consist of maize meal, sugar, baked beans, tinned fish, cooking oil, mixed vegetables, tea and soap.

ALSO READ:

 Covid-19: Premier checks in on food banks as province gets ready to provide food relief

Windmill Park community leader Leon Rooi said when they followed up on the matter with the Ekurhuleni metro they have been sent from pillar to post and recently they were told that there was no available food at the Ekurhuleni Covid-19 Food Bank.\

“About 5 000 people in Windmill Park haven’t received what they were promised,” Rooi said. “The situation is very bad because so many unemployed families have been suffering since the lockdown started hence they relied on the food parcels.”

In Ramaphosa, Silent Kgapola, who is the community leader, said they have submitted about three lists at the end of March with about 300 people who have registered for the food parcels.

“Until now these people have not received food aid and this has put us in a compromising situation because we have heard rumours that people think that we have stolen the food parcels. We want the municipality to address the people and provide them with relevant answers on why they haven’t fulfilled their promise,” Kgapola said.

In Villa Liza, some of the community members have also highlighted that they haven’t received food parcels.

Meanwhile, Ward 43 councillor Bruce Reid has raised grievances about the lack of food parcels at the food bank saying that the ward councillors are the ones who face the wrath of the hungry residents.

He said in a statement that in Boksburg, ward councillors have received over 5 000 requests for food.

“The mayor said that the six ward councillors must hand out 30 parcels each, to feed 180 of the 5 000 hungry families. What about the other 4 820 hungry families?” Reid said. “The municipality needs to communicate the plan for the food bank and should inform residents of Boksburg about when and how they will be receiving their parcels.”

ALSO READ:

 Chain of Hope asks for monetary donations during lockdown

Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masinaa tweeted that they have visited the St Anthony’s Day Care Centre for the Aged, in Reiger Park, to deliver food. He further stated that so far they have distributed almost 11 000 food parcels from the food bank.

How it all began

On April 14, Masina and Gauteng Province Premier David Makhura launched the food bank at the Ekuhuleni Fresh Food Market in Springs. The food bank as established to ensure the poorest of families in the metro have access to the most basic, but most important, supplies during the nation-wide lockdown. The Advertiser is still awaiting comment from the metro.