Informal settlement and hostel dwellers welcome food donations

Mahlasedi Foundation donated over 3 000 food parcels to residents living in informal settlements and hostels around Thokoza, on November 3.

It handed over food parcels to Empilisweni informal settlement residents before moving to the hostel at Phola Park.

According to Mahlasedi Foundation’s operational manager Jan Pretorius, they intend to donate 9 000 food parcels around Kathorus, including Vosloorus and Katlehong.

The foundation partnered with Thokoza SAPS to deliver food parcels, including maize meal, flour, sugar and rice. They were assisted by local community members who used their vehicles and wheelbarrows.

Pretorius said they have been doing the Covid-19 relief food security support drive for the past two years.
He said they have handed out over 160 000 food parcels to the value of R1.5-million.

Following the political unrests that were sparked in June in KwaZulu-Natal and some parts of Gauteng, they came together with sponsors to rebuild South Africa with the Gauteng and KZN food project initiative, Pretorius explained.

One of the beneficiaries from the hostel, Thulani Mdledle, said they are happy to receive this donation because many people are unemployed, even those with jobs find it difficult because more often they have to support their families back at home and they also have to survive.

“I am unemployed. Nearby relatives share their food with me. They usually dish for me after cooking and when they also do not have food, we are all affected.

“With this donation, things will be a lot better because we are approaching December. We will be able to save the little money we get so that we can travel back home for the festive session and return in January to look for job opportunities,” said Mdledle.

Jabulani Mbatha agreed and added that it is difficult to find jobs; hence, they appreciate the little help they get.
He said they have been voting over the years, hoping that the government will help them, but things are getting worse.

“We are thankful to the foundation. At least now we will have food to survive for a month or a few weeks. It is better than going to bed on a hungry stomach,” he concluded.

Although the foundation prepared systems to conduct its donation, there were loopholes.

As Kathorus Mail made rounds with the Thokoza SAPS social crime-prevention coordinator, Sgt Patrick Mashiane, and Pretorius, we found that some people were waiting in groups, complaining that they did not get food nor registered for it.

Mashiane explained that this was a result of people who were moving from their sections to others where food was handed out to take advantage of the system.

“The people move from their areas to claim food where they are not based. People who live here allow this to happen. They should be able to stop them because they know each other well, they can identify people who are not from the community,” said Mashiane.

He said they will return to help families that were unable to receive their food parcels and called for community members to help them root out the culprits.