Official opening and launch of the Romance Soup Kitchen – Frances Baard
Upholding the constitutional right of every South African to have access to sufficient food and water has been a priority for government, business and civil society over the past 20 years.
However, whilst all have made significant efforts to address hunger and food insecurity, with little collaboration between these sectors of society, the response has been inadequate and food insecurity continues to represent one of the greatest stumbling blocks to social, emotional and economic development in South Africa.
Food insecurity - meaning a lack of access to food of sufficient quality and quantity to perform usual daily activities - lies at the heart of the hardship faced by over 11 million South Africans. Women, children and the elderly are the most severely affected. As in most countries worldwide, food insecurity in South Africa is indisputably a consequence of poverty, and poverty is directly linked to income inequality.
The rising food prices, particularly of maize and wheat, which forms the staple diet of the poor in South Africa makes it even worse and therefore we are posed with serious problems for the urban and rural poor.
The Department of Social Development (DSD) gives effect to the food for all campaign through the social protection element of our work, which makes funding available to Soup Kitchens and Drop-In-Centres to run food provision points across the province. The 2013/14 financial year will see the establishment of an additional 28 Soup Kitchens in War on Poverty wards, ensuring that each and every War on Poverty ward has a food provision point.
This will bring to total the number of Soup Kitchens across the province to 137. In total the department will allocate about R11 500 000 towards these soup kitchens to provide 600 000 meals to 32 000 households. These Soup Kitchens respond to the needs of the poor, vulnerable and destitute who find it difficult to respond to the shocks and stresses that threaten their livelihoods.
Romance is a small community situated in the Dikgatlong District Municipality near Barkely West. The community of Romance is very poor and unemployment is the order of the day. 50% of the community receives grants (old age, child support and disability grants). The only work that they can access is seasonal work on the farms. It is evident that poverty emanates from social problems such as crime, substance abuse and domestic violence.
The Boitumelo feeding scheme was established and registered in 2010 by the councillor and three women from the community. The intention for establishing the organisation was to address the issue of food insecurity by feeding the community with nutritious meals 5 days a week. The Soup Kitchen will be funded by the Department of Social Development to an amount of R106 500.00.
The soup kitchen has also created jobs for three people in the community through the departmental EPWP unit. The MEC for Social Development Ms Tiny Chotelo will be officially opening the Romance Soup Kitchen as forth.
Date: Tuesday, 28 January 2014
Time: 11h00
Venue: Romance Community
The media is hereby invited to the official opening of the Romance Soup Kitchen.
Enquiries:
Conrad Fortune, Manager: Communications
Cell: 079 873 0679
