Dump settlers also celebrate a Merry Christmas
'They eat the rubbish discarded by others because they don’t have any other choice' — pastor.
The estimated 201 residents living in the informal settlement in the Westegloor area were also given the opportunity to have a Merry Christmas last month.
Members from different churches in Randfontein identified the need of the people living there after a member saw the terrible conditions the people were living in.
“Rotten meat and other foods are collected from the dump site and then eaten. They eat the rubbish discarded by others because they don’t have any other choice,” said Pitso Moahlodi, one of the home-cell members.
The people at the dump site are facing many challenges, such as the lack of proper housing, proper sanitation facilities, domestic violence and rape on women and children, abuse of alcohol and drugs and unemployment.
The group comprises of different members from different church denominations; Jehovah Raphael, Rhema Church, Faith Gospel Ministries, Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Grace Bible Church and Full Gospel Church of God, all of which came together to help the dump site people.
After many meetings and discussion the initiative took off with Rhema Church and Local Ethiopians Business Unity donating a total of R1 1320. The funds were used to buy food which the organizers and volunteers packed into parcels for the people.
On 21 December the weeks of planning and preparations drew to a close when the parcels were handed over to the people at the dump site.
“We would like to acknowledge the sincere gratitude and the support of the church leadership. Firstly we want to thank the pastors from Rhema Church for their contribution and secondly Pastor L.P. Rampuru of W.A.S.H. Ministries and Pastor Dave from Rhema, Randburg. We also really appreciated the humble support we received from the Dumping Site Pastor, Levy Mokate of Shekinah Worship Centre Church, who gave us a warm welcome and went all out to help clean the venue on Saturday (20 December 2014),” Pitso said.
Pastor Pitso, on behalf of the home-cell members and the organizers, would also like to thank the pastors from the local churches, the Randfontein herald, the Randfontein Local Municipality Supervisor and all local and surrounding businesses and all the local community members who contributed to the day’s success.
He would also like to thank all the Randfontein police officials who supported the initiative from the start and helped keep the order on the hand out day. They also want to thank the management and directors of Joburg Market for the vegetables and fruit, management of Sweet Street Supermarket and Valpro, Greenhills Spar, Diale Funeral Parlour and Sungate Supermarket.
“We would also like to encourage other home cells around Randfontein to join hands and work together in uplifting the plight of the needy and being relevant to the community,” Pitso said.
• Details: Contact Naomi Mekgwe on 082 639 2536.
