No voucher, no vote! This was the chant of about 200 angry residents outside the Northdale Civic Centre on Tuesday after they were allegedly deprived of food vouchers.
The people voiced their outrage and disappointment at local councillors and SA Social Security Agency officials who they claimed had “picked and chosen” who they gave the food vouchers to.
“These vouchers are meant to be evenly distributed to the more indigent families who cannot afford food. Instead, the councillors handed the vouchers to their friends and relatives and we will not stand for it,” said Savy Pillay, one of many Northdale residents who rely on the food vouchers to feed her family.
The vouchers, which are worth R1 300 each and can be used to buy any food at the Derby Supermarket in Northdale, were said to have been distributed on Friday last week.
However, those who need them claim they have not received them.
Msunduzi executive committee councillor Manilal Inderjit, in a bid to calm the people on Tuesday, visited the centre to listen to their grievances, but with little success.
Inderjit assured residents he would investigate the allegations against the councillors in question and report back to them by the end of the week.
But they were not satisfied.
“These political parties and their candidates want our votes, but they refuse to help us when we really need them. I am not going to take it anymore. No voucher, no vote,” said Sathyaseelan Moonsamy
Daily News