Following her video message to President Cyril Ramaphosa which went viral a few months ago, Tafelsig CAN's Joanie Fredericks is one of the organisers behind the Dear Mr President Video Project. This series of videos tell the collective stories of desperate communities across the country in an attempt to get the attention of the president.
The videos will be personally delivered by Fredericks and comedian Marc Lottering next week. Read the letter which accompanies the videos:
Dear Mr President
As you may recall Mr President five months ago I, Joanie Fredericks, Tafelsig activist on the ground sent you a request for help. Your people did visit and promised to help. No help has arrived yet Mr. President. The situation is now beyond serious and in need of your personal attention as the Leader of South Africa, Father of our Nation, our President. The reality is that sponsors are no longer able to help and we are battling to feed our communities. The crisis is deepening Mr. President and without real intervention it could become a catastrophe.
With the help of Marc Lottering, Comedian and Community Activist, I have invited other communities engaged in soup kitchens to tell their stories. We have edited a video that tells the stories of desperate communities across South Africa especially for you Mr President. Ordinary People doing extraordinary things. I would appreciate the opportunity to present our collective stories and struggle to you in person.
This video is the collective effort of communities across South Africa and I want to thank Marc Lottering and Voice Winner Craig Lucas for this powerful song WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE especially written for our video and the master editor and storyteller Munier Parker for this powerful video project. STORIES HAVE POWER and our stories matter, Mr President.
We need you to hear the plight of our communities, listen to our potential solution to the deepening crises and then assist us in feeding our people as enshrined in the Constitution. Our voices must and will be heard, the people are hungry, Mr President.
Please help us STOP STARVATION and FEED THE PEOPLE.
People of South Africa Please share the video and use the following hashtags: #DearMrPresident #WhatAboutThePeople #feedthenation #stopstarvation #ourstoriesmatter #communityleaders #communityactivists #notonmywatch #forthepeople
Joanie Fredericks - Tafelsig activist on the ground (on behalf of thousands of other soup kitchens and food activists across South Africa)