Residents of Tshidilamolomo and surrounding villages outside Mahikeng in the North West have welcomed the donation of food parcels, saying it will help to keep hunger at bay.
This as many communities still need relief aid, a year after the coronavirus pandemic started in the country. Many people have lost their jobs.
Statistics South Africa says the country’s unemployment rate is now at 32.5% – the highest since the start of the quarterly labour force survey in 2008.
The results of the latest survey, show that the number of unemployed South Africans increased by 701 000 to 7.2 million compared to the third quarter of 2020. This resulted in an increase of 1.0 million (up by 4.9%) in the number of people in the labour force.
Some of the residents say they are relieved to receive assistance.
“I have been asking for food from my neighbours. Now I have received food parcels. I will not ask the neighbours again.”
“I am so happy to have received the food parcels because they will last me until month-end.”
Chairperson of the Tswelelopele Empowerment Foundation, Kealeboga Garenamotse, says they would like to reach more impoverished families, but funding is a problem.
“It is our wish to have an ongoing project but unfortunately the problem is funding because most of the organisation that we approach they will tell us we only fund people where we operate, but by looking at our location being in deep rural areas of northwest it is a problem to get funding.”
Tshidilamolomo Village residents welcome donation of food parcels:
