DA concerned about food banks running dry in Gauteng. Photo: Pixabay.com
The DA says people living with chronic illnesses will be the most affected as they will need food to take medication.
DA concerned about food banks running dry in Gauteng. Photo: Pixabay.com
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has claimed that the most vulnerable residents of Gauteng, who are solely dependent on the Department of Social Development (DSD) for food, will starve as the provincial food banks have run out of stock.
This after Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL, the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development, embarked on an oversight to prove the allegation.
“After having received numerous complaints from vulnerable Gauteng residents, the DA embarked on an oversight inspection to the Ekurhuleni and Tshwane food banks where we discovered that they have indeed run dry.
“People living with chronic illnesses are the most affected, as they will need food to take medication as will those who receive food parcels from the department,” she lamented.
“This is unacceptable and demonstrates the incompetence and lack of planning by the Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Mbali Hlophe,” she criticised.
“This means that the most vulnerable residents will have a bleak festive season with no food.”
Nt’sekhe
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She added that the DA will write to MEC Mbali Hlophe to ascertain the following:
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Meanwhile, The City of Johannesburg has vowed to continue providing essential services during the festive season.
Kgamanyane Maphologela, Director of Customer Communications for the City’s Group Finance Department, assured residents that essential services like the City’s Call Centre and online payment services will remain fully operational.
“Residents will still be able to contact the City. They can still log queries and make enquiries relating to essential services like water and electricity via the City’s Call Centre throughout the festive period. It is only the walk-in Customer Service Centres which will be impacted and have different operating hours than normal,” said Maphologela.
ALSO READ: City of Johannesburg announces Festive Season operating hours