Civils rights movements donate food parcels in Mamelodi

The residents of Mamelodi West, east of Pretoria, were all smiles when Dlalisa Moyeni Foundation and civil rights movement #NotInMyName donated food parcels and hot meals yesterday as part of their food drive for communities.

About 200 Mamelodi West residents benefitted from the initiative by both organisations.

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Dlalisa Moyeni Foundation CEO Bongani Skosana said, in the spirit of Nelson Mandela, one could always donate 67 minutes of their time to make a difference in the lives of those who were less fortunate.

Food parcels ‘not sustainable’

“We felt it was very important that we do it in the community that we come from. The community is poverty-stricken and people are really struggling,” he said.

“So we thought, in partnership with Shoprite and #NotInMyName, let us just bring a soup kitchen and some food parcels to them and it will make a difference.”

He said the foundation was trying to reach as many communities as possible. But giving food parcels was not sustainable.

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“There is a bigger plan, I mean the people that we are serving, we are getting their data so we can try and see how we can help because giving them a fish is not going to be sustainable,” Skosana said.

“We need to try and channel them or try and see how we can help them get opportunities where they can be able to sustain themselves.

“In the meantime, we are trying to reach more areas as possible.”

Remembering Nelson Mandela

#NotInMyName secretary general Themba Masango said yesterday’s food drive was about remembering Nelson Mandela as a national hero who said “it is in our hands” to make sure we continue with his legacy of looking after the marginalised and the poor.

“We thought [Mandela Day] was one of those days where we thought it is the right day for us to give back to the people of Mamelodi as we come from here,” Masango said.

“Everyday people are struggling, so it is with the hope that others will see what we are doing together with the Dlalisa Moyeni Foundation, so they will be able to do what they can with the little that they have.”

He said their food drives were not about points scoring as both Dlalisa Moyeni and #NotInMyName had been doing this for at least six years.

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“Our hearts are full that we are in a position to at least give back. However, we know that these food parcels and soup drives are not sustainable to the poverty that is in the country,” he said.

“We are doing this because we are from the community. We love the community. We are hoping that others will be able to see and come on board and be able to play it forward as well.

“We know we are in a very tight economic situation and we know that it is going to take more people who care for one another, not just those looking out for themselves, to achieve our goal.”

Political campaign

Both organisations said they would welcome any help to continue to grow their initiative, but they would be wary of people who would try to use the plight of the poor for campaigning for votes as the country approaches election time.

“We do not want to make this into a political campaign. This should be about the beneficiaries, but we welcome anyone who wants to join us.”

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One of those who benefitted from the initiative, Sesi Mvubu, said she wished such campaigns would happen monthly or even weekly, if possible, as a lot of people were struggling to make ends meet in the community.

– lungam@citizen.co.za