People with disabilities in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, North West, raise concerns about lack of funding from the government, saying some of their cooperatives are dysfunctional because they do not have money and are unable to access the market.
They met with the Deputy Minister for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities in the Presidency, Nokuzola Tolashe, who visited the area to assess the progress made with the District Development Model implemented by the government last year.
The district model in Taung is aimed at eradicating poverty and creating jobs amongst women, youth and people with disabilities and has huge potential in the agricultural sector and many beneficiaries run agricultural projects while others are doing pottery.
But they say the government is dragging its feet when it comes to support.
Some residents say they are not receiving funding and have to do things on their own. They are now forced to use their government grants.
A resident says, “The challenge that we are facing is that we do not get support from the municipality. We have three years without electricity and the municipality does not assist us to pay Eskom. We request other different departments to assist us with training.”
Nkululuko Kula, 32, from Shoshong village, near Taung, is a beekeeper. He ventured into the business three years ago and has produced over hundred litres of honey. Kula says he wants to expand his business but access to a market is a concern.
Kula says, “For me not to sell at the markets is that I do not have enough boxes, so I am asking the government to buy me more boxes so that I can supply other shops and also I want to produce more tones instead of litres.”
The department of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities has promised to assist where it can.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth And People With Disabilities Nokuzola Tolashe says, “There are things that need to be done, we are listening to the people here, especially people with disabilities who are raising their issues. We are happy to hear from them directly, we are going to work together as we have committed…”
“We agreed to say earlier on in the briefing that we will be here again in august just to further come and check whether things that we have raised especially in the projects that we have funded to through NYDA, whether those issues are been looked after and they are being resolved. There is no way that we can put money and we do not look after that particular project,” Tolashe says.
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has encouraged more young people to establish their businesses and get funding.
Regional Manager NYDA North West Mike Phokela says, “We would like to see more of our young people getting funding for their businesses because we have noticed that especially when we talk of this district it is predominantly rural. If you come to Taung where we are currently, we have so many villages that need some attention in terms of our funding…”
Beneficiaries of the district development model say their engagements with the government will hopefully bring positive results to eradicate poverty in their area.
