A gesture of kindness was shown to the Parkhurst residents by a local church. The Parkhurst Community Church with community members that included Christo Morolong and Grace Matoni organised for displaced and unemployed residents to apply for identity documents (IDs). The event took place at the Parkhurst Tennis Court.
Member of the pastoral committee at the church Quentin Still said the whole project began during the lockdown. He described Parkhurst as a suburb with two groups of people – those who are affluent and those who are homeless, unemployed, living along the spruit, abandoned bowling club while being car guards or just trying to make a living.
“As a local church, we wanted to engage with some of the real issues that were going on in the community. With lockdown, there is a lot of need at various levels of society. So we wanted to focus primarily on the demographics that we are not seeing and that aren’t always necessarily helped.”
He said they have then been conducting a soup kitchen for the last five months where they provide soup, bread and oranges. At the height of the lockdown, the church was providing food parcels. This which has now been expanded to include clothing.
“Our desire long-term is to uplift, skill and equip people. One of these is skills for employment and an obstacle often to that process is the inability to have an ID or a CV that’s printed. So, we have been making and printing CVs for the people and we made a promise that we would endeavour to pay for and get everyone an ID book.”
Still explained that they often lose their IDs when the police raid the spruit and take all their possessions away. “So we have started keeping a lot of their documentation at the church safe so it doesn’t get lost. But most of the guys don’t have IDs at all so today is one step in that process of giving them a little opening in the door. We are going to fund that and so we’re building friendship, relationship and we’re trying to be a church in the community that adds a little bit of difference.”
Home Affairs Johannesburg mobile manager Thabo Maenetsa said they would endeavour to assist the (about 50 people) there on the day if the system did not cause disruptions. “The payment arrangements have already been made with the pastor who will pay on behalf of the applicants. Therefore what we will do is process everything and put it in the system.
“This is such a great initiative; seeing people who can afford giving back to the community. Some people can’t even afford to get to our offices. So if there is somebody that can give it’s an ideal solution and that’s what we encourage. We also encourage people out there who can, to invite us; we’re always available for the outreaches if we are not booked,” Maenetsa said.
Details: Department of Home Affairs www.dha.gov.za
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