Community helps feed the Windsor displaced
WINDSOR EAST – Volunteers from the Randburg and Northcliff community pitched in to feed displaced Windsor residents in the wake of the mass evictions that took place in the suburb on 17 April.
Volunteers from the Randburg and Northcliff community pitched in to feed displaced Windsor residents in the wake of the mass evictions on 17 April.
READ: IN PICTURES: Mass evictions take place in Windsor
The community group feeds the hungry in Windsor every Tuesday night, but this time the group tried to get greater support.
One of the organisers, Christie Cronjé said, “We came here today to serve hot meals to the Windsor East community, and we tried to get some extra support on social media due to the gravity of the mass evictions.”
The group cooked a beef and vegetable soup, stew and served sandwiches from the boots of their cars to hungry individuals who were passing through the dark Windsor streets.
Various foodstuffs were donated by businesses in the Northcliff and Randburg area, such as Colcoccio Northcliff, which supplied soup, and Not Bread Alone which donated bread and buns.
Other volunteers prepared food at home to donate, such as hot dogs.
Cronjé added, “A lot of the people that came for meals tonight are our regulars, and it is difficult to tell if they are someone who was evicted, but we definitely have noticed a greater number of people coming to us.”
Another organiser, Gavin Hayes said, “Obviously, we all need to abide by the law, but if my own property was taken over by people that it did not belong to, I would also be angry.
Regardless of the legal situation of these people, they need to be shown compassion… Displaced people do not need to be treated like animals or trash, they need to be looked after while they are finding their feet.”
The majority of the volunteers who joined the evening’s event came from various churches including the Bryanston Bible Church and the New Creation Church.
Other volunteers were regulars, and some responded to Cronje’s Facebook message.
The Randburg Sun spoke to some of the Facebook volunteers, who Cronjé said made over 100 hot dogs for the initiative.
Volunteer Sanchia Ferreira said, “We saw the post on Facebook asking for help for the evicted and we thought we would lend a hand… What truly humbles you is seeing people, who are already in a state of poverty and are now evicted, having to resort to getting food from strangers.”
Yulisha Pillay said, “In any situation, what happened was horrible… Simply knowing that people were evicted without a place to sleep at night is so sad.”
Monique Langedyk added, “Knowing that it was not their fault is not fair on them… Especially when there are kids involved.”
Cronjé added, “Whether this is a one-time event or not, we always encourage members of the community to join us.”
It is understood that the City has provided accommodation for the women and children in shelters.
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