Johannesburg - Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini will roll out a number of social relief interventions in Tlokwe, in the North West, her department said on Friday.
“During her meeting with the provincial leadership of the government of North West, she heard that over 19 000 children suffer from malnutrition in Tlokwe,” the department said in a statement.
“She also heard that there are over 17 000 child-headed households in Tlokwe, most of whom do not receive social assistance because they have not been reported to the department of social development.”
Dlamini would send a team of experts to the area to help start food gardens and soup kitchens, the department said.
The minister was in Tlokwe on Friday speaking during a community imbizo (public participation programme) hosted by her department.
She also met the provincial government leadership.
The social development department said it had identified 90 “extremely” poor families in the area who needed social relief for the next six months.
Dlamini admitted that although there were 30 516 social grants recipients in Tlokwe not everyone who was eligible for social security assistance had been reached in the area.
“To this end, she announced the establishment of new SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) mobile service points to service outlying areas at least twice a week to reach all those who find the currently available Sassa offices inaccessible,” the department said.
Sapa
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