Kgomo-Kgomo: Chinese embassy puts smiles on needy families’ faces

With the poverty rate on the rise, with an estimated 18.2 million people in South Africa living in extreme poverty and with several people set to spend Christmas under stressful conditions, the Chinese embassy has put smiles on needy families of the North West village of Kgomo-Kgomo.

In support of its poverty alleviation programme in South Africa, Chinese ambassador to SA Chen Xiaodong, accompanied by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, yesterday visited Kgomo-Kgomo to hand over a consignment of food parcels valued at R400 000.

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In his keynote address at a ceremony held at Moratwe High School, Chen said it was “a pleasure to visit Kgomo-Kgomo and make a humanitarian gesture on behalf of the Chinese government”.

“Today, the Chinese embassy in South Africa brings food hampers to our friends in Kgomo-Kgomo and we hope that all of you will have the most joyful and peaceful festive season,” he said.

“In April this year, Minister Zulu and I visited Kgomo-Kgomo together and decided to build the poverty alleviation pilot village project with China’s support here. We in China believe that a society cannot be prosperous if the people do not enjoy initial prosperity.”

China, which has reached a zero-poverty level, has over 1.4 billion population – far bigger than South Africa.

“We have long suffered from poverty. With successful policies since China’s reform and opening up in the past four decades and more, 800 million Chinese people have worked their way out of poverty.

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“That is over 70% of all poverty, reduced in the whole world during that period. China wrote the most successful story of poverty alleviation in all of human history,” said Chen.

“As we strive to cut poverty and achieve development ourselves, we have always been committed to helping other developing countries advance poverty reduction, to achieve shared development and prosperity.

“China and South Africa enjoy a Comrades plus Brothers special bond and poverty alleviation is an important component of our cooperation.

“In recent years, through donating supplies, funding, building projects and providing training, China engaged in strong development cooperation with South Africa – making active contribution to South Africa’s socio-economic development,” he said.

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In August this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to South Africa – “with President Xi and President Cyril Ramaphosa ushering China-South Africa relations into the Golden Era”.

“During his visit, President Xi stressed that Chinese side’s readiness to enhance experience-sharing with the South African side, assisting South Africa in implementing the poverty alleviation pilot village project.

“As we work to build this project in Kgomo-Kgomo, we aremaking a practical move to implement our two presidents’ key consensus. “It speaks volumes to China and South Africa – joining hands to build a high-level community with a shared future between ourselves.

As former president Nelson Mandela observed, poverty is not natural.

“It is man-made, can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings,” said Chen.