The issues of food parcel and coffin provisions for indigent burials and university registration assistance in the J.B. Marks municipality have been in disarray for years.
Recently, a note was posted on the door of Ato Motingoe’s office as the chief of staff in the mayor’s office. It stated that the provision of food parcels and university registration fees had been suspended pending a council resolution.
In 2016, the chief of staff at that time, Errol Temanie, sent a text message to all councillors, announcing that the executive mayor’s office could no longer provide grocery vouchers for indigent burials as the municipal budget for this service has been depleted.
Last week, Victor Boqo, the mayoral spokesperson, assured Potchefstroom residents, through the Herald, that all these provisions would still continue. ‘We still assist indigent families with coffins for burials and we are still looking to develop a policy to provide the food parcels. However, this must first be adopted by the council as we previously provided these food parcels without a council policy. Once adopted, we will resume these services. As for the university fees, we continue to pay for deserving students.’
The provision of food parcels and coffins for indigent burials has been significant in the lives of many residents in Ikageng. When it was temporarily suspended, however, it proved disastrous to the poorest of the poor.
In 2016, the family of a 2-year-old Katlego Mohapeloa of Ext. 7 Baipei had a hard time burying the little one. The toddler was killed in a tragic accident at home and, according to the family, the council could not assist them with burial arrangements, a coffin or groceries.
The community including taxi drivers and funeral services had to step in.
In May this year, the hit and run victim, Lebogang Mahlapa was buried after community members contributed towards the burial. The Mahlapa family could also not access the municipal food parcel account that is supposed to provide relief for grieving indigent families. The family heard from the councillor that there was no budget. Even after they were referred to the district, there was still no assistance.
Katlego Mohapeloa (2) died when a kitchen cupboard fatally fell on top of him. His family struggled to bury him because the municipal budget had been depleted.
The same account for food parcels for funerals has been in the news following allegations of dubious deals. J.B. Marks had a food parcel account at Choppies into which the municipality deposited money every month. Questions were raised when a municipal official started collecting the balance in cash payments every month. The store subsequently dismissed two of its employees on allegations of fraud.
Boqo said at the time that Choppies had stopped the account after verbally informing the municipality that the store was investigating some of its employees internally.
