THE Soshanguve Local and Long Distance Taxi Association and businesses have donated food parcels to needy families identified by the community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The beneficiaries included Lindiwe Chabalala and her four sons, all of whom relied on odd jobs to make ends meet.
Chabalala said she used to get by on washing or cleaning for other families, but due to restrictions of the lockdown, she had been unable to get work or make money.
She said since the start of the lockdown, things had become so bad that her family would sometimes go three to four days without anything to eat.
And when they did manage to scrape together something to eat, Chabalala said they had to skip some days to stretch their basic food supplies.
“We’ve tried to apply for grants time and again but nothing has come of it. We’ve even tried going around to get these food parcels everyone talks about, but they are yet to arrive anywhere close to us, and it's been months now.
“We’ve just stopped complaining and become used to this hard life. I can’t begin to show them how much this means to us but I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
Mitah Molobi said since many in the community relied on temporary jobs, with the current restrictions their family of four was trying to survive on her grand-daughter’s grant fund alone.
“I think most families stress, especially here, about how they are going to get through another day. We just pray for the goodwill of those willing to offer us small jobs so we can also have something to eat.”
Ward councillor Phumzile Hlatshwayo said many were struggling and things had been exacerbated by the pandemic as some were losing their jobs.
“The list of helpless families is very long, so this can’t be a one-time thing but it's a good start. Food insecurity and poverty are ongoing problems; what matters is that collectively we support each other during this pandemic.”
Daniel Mogajane, the association’s spokesperson, said they regarded the communities they served as their families and could not sit by and watch as they starved.