The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Health and Social Development Portfolio Committee, is partnering with the Gauteng Social Development Department and the City of Tshwane to host lunch with the street kids of Pretoria. The event is to be held at the Tshwane City Hall on Saturday, 12 May from 9h00 till 12h00. The event is being held to interact with the kids through different activities and also encourage them to seek help and ultimately leave the streets.
Honourable Molebatsi Bopape, Chairperson of the Health and Social Development Portfolio Committee says the “event is being held to interact with the kids through different activities and also encourage them to seek help and ultimately leave the streets. These children’s needs need to be addressed; they form part of the social community of Gauteng”.
There is a task team in place led by Honourable Molebatsi Bopape and comprising of delegates from the Mayor of the City Tshwane’s office. The team is to visit the streets and places where the kids frequent in an effort to mobilise them prior to Saturday’s event. There are about 300 kids that are living in the streets of Pretoria whom this initiative aims to assist. A bus will be provided for the purposes of transporting the kids to and from the City Hall where the event is to take place on Saturday.
The programme for the day comprises of different interactive activities and motivational talks. Information on and encouragement to receive rehabilitation and safety houses enrolment will also be prioritised on the day. Mzwakhe Msibi, former street kid and founder of Toughest Young Minds (an NPO which deals with youth involved in drugs, crime and those that live on the streets) will be the guest speaker for the day. Mzwakhe Msibi is a remarkable success story the kids can relate and also aspire to. Mr Msibi currently also serves the Executive Board of Botshepiville Youth Development Centre (BYDC) as the Vice- Chairperson. BYDC is an NGO that aims to fight youth poverty and unemployment in Tshepang.
The Health and Social Development Committee is one of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s ten portfolio committees. Chaired by Honourable Molebatsi Bopape (MPL), the Committee oversees the work of the Gauteng Health and Social Development sectors. To ensure a better quality of life for all Gauteng citizens, the Committee also initiates and considers laws that relate to the development of policies governing the department’s sectors, and all the appropriate resources. media stakeholders interested in covering the event are welcome to use the contact details provided below for more information.
Enquiries:
Khazi Sithole
Cell: 082 577 9393
E-mail: Ksithole@gpl.gov.za
Pfano Bulasigobo
Cell: 078 053 6821
E-mail: pbulasigobo@gpl.gov.za
Lunch with kids living in the streets in Tshwane
Province
