10 December 2007
The Free State MEC for Social Development honourable Ouma Tsopo is embarking
on a massive campaign of food parcel distribution as a measure of Social Relief
of Distress in partnership with the South African Social Security Agency. The
MEC started this campaign during the Social Development Month on the 1 October
2007, wherein she emphasised that the role of the Department of Social
Development is to target and fight poverty, as this is the number one enemy
acting against the noble attempts of restoring the dignity of the people of the
province and our country. The MEC assigned social workers in the department to
identify poverty stricken families, and prioritise the elderly, the orphaned
and vulnerable children, child headed households, people with disabilities, and
women.
This campaign recorded a phenomenal success, but due to the depth of poverty
that is facing the people of the province, MEC Tsopo remains determined to do
more by ensuring that the scope of benefit is expanded and that access to
social relief is extended to all those that are in dire need. For the Social
Development Month the following areas were reached, thus significantly easing
the burden of need:
* Xhariep: 345
* Motheo: 427
* Lejweleputswa: 341
* Thabo Mofutsanyana: 330
* Fezile Dabi: 370
In order to deepen the scope of interventions, the MEC has resolved to
further embark on another round of distributions to cover the various towns of
the Free State starting on the 6 to 14 December 2007. This will see a total
number of 3 706 food parcels distributed covering the five districts in the
province. Thabo Mofutsanyana will receive a total of 340 food parcels.
The benefits of this programme are numerous, the first being that this will
bring back the dignity of the people of the province by ensuring that they at
least have the right to food. This relief, although short term, it will enable
the people to seek other mechanisms of sustaining their livelihoods. The
details of the areas where the distribution will take place are attached to
this media release. The media is invited to cover the events.
MECS programme for distribution of food parcels as social relief of distress
in Thabo Mofutsanyana, December 2007
The MEC will only be part of four events with the following particulars:
11 December 2007
08h00: Petsane Community Hall in Reitz, 34 food parcels
11h00: Mamafubedu Community Hall, 34 food parcels
12 December 2007
09h00: Monontsha Tribal Office, 25 food parcels
11h00: Makhalaneng Clinic, 25 food parcels
Issued by: Department of Social Development, Free State Provincial
Government
10 December 2007
