GARDEN ROUTE | HESSEQUA | KAROO NEWS - Food shortages have led to a number of protest actions in the Southern Cape region since the start of the third week of lockdown last week.
Speaking to the nation on Tuesday evening, 21 April, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the huge challenges of food shortages and announced a R500-billion social and economic support package to mitigate the impact of the lockdown.
According to Gerhard Otto, Garden Route disaster manager, food shortages have led to several protests across the district, starting in Kannaland and expanding to Bitou. On Tuesday the first looting of a Spaza shop in Oudtshoorn was reported. The first signs of hunger became apparent in George last Thursday in Rosedale, a poverty-stricken area with an informal settlement housing more than 500 families. Following the delivery of just a handful of food parcels, residents became highly emotional, saying they feared dying of hunger.
Western Cape minister of Community Safety Albert Fritz said on Tuesday that the country is facing a humanitarian crisis. "It is a struggle for many to put food on the table. Our government has taken many steps to assist as much as we can." He made it clear, however, that looting will not be tolerated and referred to an incident on Monday when a food truck was stoned and looted in Cape Town.
Lives versus lives
During a virtual briefing on Tuesday hosted by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR), economist Mike Schussler said it is important that South Africa find a way to exit the hard lockdown, and that an extension would see more people pushed into poverty. "It's not a question of the economy against people's lives, but lives versus lives," said Schussler.
The Southern Cape has been hard hit, with food shortages and underlying distrust and rage surfacing in most impoverished communities.
In Mossel Bay, residents of Sunshine Valley claim that a political party distributed food parcels only to people who could prove party membership, reports Cornelle Carstens of Mossel Bay Advertiser. A woman from Friemersheim said members of the community were asked two weeks ago to compile a list of names of those who experience food shortages. "There were probably 300 names and only 30 packages were distributed last week. There is no other relief in Friemers and we are jobless," she said. A local councillor told the Mossel Bay Advertiser that people are constantly at her door in KwaNonqaba. "They keep calling at my gate. I don't know what to do," she said. Icosa councillor Dawid Kamfer said people phone him from all over Mossel Bay. "I am scared to pick up my phone," he said.
Christo Vermaak of Graaff-Reinet Advertiser reports that about 200 residents gathered outside a councillor's home on Tuesday, in Kroonvale, demanding food parcels. The locals claimed they were promised food parcels, but the ward councillor, Glenda Mackelina, had no knowledge of this. The residents said they were hungry and would not leave without food. Many had lost their jobs.
Police had to secure Mackelina and her family and they watched the unrest unfold from their home. The protesters dispersed, but said they are waiting for food.
Wilma Adamson, editor of the South Cape Forum, said that numerous complaints have been posted on the publication's Facebook page regarding so-called unfair distribution of food parcels in Hessequa. "People object to the fact that those receiving a Sassa grant don't qualify for food parcels, and believe it to be politically motivated," said Adamson.
"Hessequa hasn't seen any food riots at present. Many people and clubs, such as United Rugby Club in Heidelberg and Hessequa Domino Club, help prepare and distribute soup and food," she said.
In Bitou a municipal official has been accused of involvement in irregular activities during the delivery of food parcels in Plettenberg Bay over the Easter weekend. Bitou mayor Peter Lobese has announced his concern over allegations that some of the food parcels had not reached the needy but instead were given to friends and political acquaintances of an official.
Municipal spokesperson Andile Namntu said the allegations involve the distribution of parcels between 10 and 13 April. "Although there are no formal complaints laid, the municipality does not take these allegations lightly.”
Mayor Lobese said the 3 500 food parcels distributed over Easter were done with municipal funds and that he wished more funds were available for food.
Inadequate capacity
On Tuesday Ramaphosa acknowledged the challenge, saying government's food distribution capacity does not meet the huge need.
New measures to address the nation's hunger include food assistance through vouchers and cash transfers, to be implemented by the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa). An additional 250 000 food parcels will be distributed over the next two weeks, with the help of the Department of Social Development (DSD), the Solidarity Fund, NGOs and community-based organisations.
On Tuesday Otto said that, in terms of legislation, Sassa is the body responsible for the rolling out of food parcels. "To date, no Covid-19 disaster funds have been made available to Sassa by National Government," he said.
"The Western Cape government subsequently intervened and made funds available to DSD, but the criteria DSD is forced to apply resulted in only 792 food parcels handed out. Local municipalities have also purchased food parcels and even Garden Route District Municipality has donated food parcels to local municipalities." Oudtshoorn Council has approved a R1-million food relief programme from its funds to the greater Oudtshoorn community.
Otto said the initial evaluation indicated that more than 10 000 people in the region need help. "We do our best to try and feed everyone, but this will only happen with constant support from non-governmental and faith-based organisations, the public, as well as additional funds from national government." He said they are working on a second planning phase, set to be rolled out this week, that will accelerate the relief effort.
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