Formed in 2017 during the waves of xenophobic attacks, the Somali Community Service of South Africa, comprising of Somalian businessmen and South Africans, continues to provide help for the destitute families in Rustenburg. in the North West.
The organisation is handing out food parcels to locals.
The beneficiaries are destitute families residing in Zinniaville, Katlien Park and Reutlwile View informal settlement in Rustenburg.
In the video below, Pretoria residents are in need of food parcels:
Out of the 1 400 households in Reutlwile View Informal Settlement, 75 of them have benefited thus far.
Many are said to be depending on temporary jobs, which they cannot do now, due to the nationwide lockdown.
Chairperson of the Somali Community Service in South Africa, Ramzi Abdalla, says their project comes a long way and will continue even beyond the lockdown period.
“We have a long project which we have done in the past and we still have to do it because we can only combat the poverty since we are standing everyday and every time with needy people. We cannot do it today then we quit, it does not work like that with us,” says Abdalla.
Some community members who have received food parcels in the area expressed their gratitude.
A 49-year-old mother of six, Tshepang Gaehete, is a domestic worker. She says, since the lockdown started, she has been depending on donations, because she is unable to report for duty.
“I am the only one working in the house and ever since the lockdown has started I have been making means of getting food elsewhere. With the little salary that I have received, I managed to add some something in the family so that we can survive,” says Gaehete.
Manager of the Good Citizens Bosa Ledwaba says many in informal settlements are unemployed, hence the need to land a helping hand.
“Apart from that there is nothing that the people can do. Remember some of the people are domestic workers; some of the people are car washers; some of the people are informal traders. So, they cannot do anything because they are just staying in homes,” says Ledwaba.
The organisation has made an appeal to other business people to assist in this regard in order to cover those who are left out.
In the video below, the school feeding scheme is under discussion:
