A country’s progress is assessed to a large extent on its ability to care and defend the rights of the most vulnerable of its citizens. This is done through programs to raise the quality of life and limit their vulnerabilities. The protection of the poor and vulnerable is top government priority. The South African government has made concerted efforts to support community based organisations to increase the reach and range of development services rendered to the following target groups:
- Unemployed
- hildren
- HIV/Aids infected (patients taking medication) and affected
- People with disabilities
“Today, all of us do, by our presence here, and by our celebrations in other parts of our country and the world, confer glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud.
Our daily deeds as ordinary South Africans must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity's belief in justice, strengthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all - never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another, and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world." - From Mandela's inaugural address as President of South Africa.
"I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death." - Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom: Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
Vosburg is a small town that is situated in Pixley ka Seme region in the Northern Cape province. It is a town that is also situated 61km west of Britstown. This town forms part of the three towns that form your Kareeberg Municipality that is Canarvon and Van Wyks Vlei. Vosburg was established on the farm Processfontein in 1895, the town was named after Mr J Vos and the Van Rensburg family. More than 22 buildings here are national monuments. The town has relatively low crime rate.
This town has no permanent job opportunities therefore most people who are living in Vosburg are unemployed. Most people move to cities or to bigger towns to look for employment. Vosburg is surrounded by farms, these farms mostly farm sheep and most workers are seasonal workers. There is very few government and private institution. Most people receive grants from SASSA.
Household food security is defined as access by all households at all times to adequate safe and nutritious food for a healthy and productive life. There is no doubt that rising food prices are always a concern due to their potential for diminishing the food security of the poor.
In the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, there is one important article that clearly impinges on the socio-economic rights of many citizens of the world. Article 25.1 of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration on Human Rights states that:
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care, the necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control”.
The South African Bill of Rights reaffirms article 25.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by stating in Section 26 and 27 that, everyone has the right to adequate housing, health care services, sufficient food and water and social security. These also include appropriate social assistance, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants.
It was Madiba who once noted: Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings".
The recent World Food Day and World Poverty Eradication Day commemorations highlighted the status of food insecurity within the country and more especially within the Northern Cape Province.
Vosburg is a small town situated in the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality within the Northern Cape Province. Vosburg is one of the three towns within the Kareeberg Municipality with its Head Offices in Carnarvon. Van Wyksvlei is also part of municipality. The town of Vosburg has ± 1000 inhabitants. The town has very few descent job opportunities, and most of the young people leave Vosburg to search for better work opportunities in other provinces. Vosburg has the following government institutions:
- Department of Health
- South African Police Services
- Kareeberg Local Municipality – Satellite Offices
Other Departments like Department of Social Development are doing visits once per week and SASSA on a Bi-weekly basis.
The break-down of the population here in Vosburg:
According to Statistics South Africa there 1151 people living in Vosburg,
- With Adults making-up 38% (439) of the population,
- Elderly 7% (77),
- Youth 19% (223) and
Most of the people residing in Vosburg depend solely on grants and other seasonal jobs. In general the crime rate in Vosburg is relatively low. Common crimes committed are:
- Rape
- Murder
- Stock theft
- House breaking
- Domestic violence
The following concerns raised during the last community meeting:
- Youth unemployment
- Bursaries for further studies
- Lack of recreational facilities for children
- Child neglect in the area
- Misuse of Alcohol by young mothers
As a Department we have heeded the call to action in addressing food insecurity and poverty and hence the Department of Social Development developed a strategy to address food insecurity within the province through the establishment and funding of soup kitchens. As a Department we fund based on our food security Rural/Urban Funding Model. Urban Soup Kitchens will be strengthened with R67 364 and Rural Soup Kitchens will be strengthened with R87 361 in this financial year. We realised that rural communities struggle more than urban communities to feed the poor and vulnerable; they spend more on food, transport and they don’t have as many choices.
Currently the Department has established and funded the following initiatives within the Pixley ka Seme district to address food insecurity:
- 13 Soup Kitchens
- 7 Drop-in Centres
- 6 Community Food Gardens
- 2 Crop Productions
In addition the Department has also at the recent celebration of World Food Day, on the 16th of October 2011, donated 200 food parcels to the Phillipstown, Petrusville and Vanderkloof communities.
This social protection initiative was started by a group of ordinary community members who saw the need and responded to it. The soup kitchen started operating during 2009, through assistance via the Social Relief Budget. These community efforts were augmented by the local businesses and surrounding farms in the area that also assisted the soup kitchen by supplying raw food.
During May 2010, the soup kitchen committee members formally approached the Department of Social Development with a request for funding. The Department facilitated the process and the Soup Kitchen of Vosburg is currently up and running with a very dedicated committee and employees. This rural based soup kitchen was funded by the Department on the 14th of June 2011 with an amount of R87, 361.00.
We hope that the Soup Kitchen can be used, in future, as a catalyst to resolve or improve on some of the challenges that the community is facing in Vosburg.
"Our shared value system should encourage us to become active citizens in the renewal of our country. We must build a common national identity and patriotism," President Jacob Zuma.
