STATEMENT BY BRETT HERRON, GOOD MEMBER OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT AND SECRETARY-GENERAL
14 APRIL 2020
FAMILIES ARE RUNNING OUT OF FOOD
Coronavirus lockdown under threat in Cape Town as delivery of food aid falls short
Groups of growingly desperate people in communities across the Cape Flats took to the streets today to say they were running out of money to feed their families, and plea for urgent help.
Although all three levels of government have made commitments to provide for poorer citizens during the coronavirus lockdown, the crowds of anxious residents on the streets of Mitchell’s Plain, Khayelitsha, Manenberg and Nyanga Junction graphically illustrated that food was not reaching those who need it most.
South Africa’s hard national lockdown was necessary to contain the spread of the virus while affording the country breathing space to prepare its defences. The lockdown has impacted on all of us, but its most devastatingly impact is being felt by families living on the breadline, with many bread-winners having lost jobs and income.
If we are unable to support these people, the good work that our country has done in stalling the virus’ journey over the past five weeks will be undermined.
South Africa has an unfortunate history of politicising the giving of food parcels. From Gauteng, over the Easter Weekend, and from the Western Cape today, the GOOD Party has received multiple reports that food aid is not being distributed in a fair and equitable way. If this is true, even as we battle for survival in the teeth of an unprecedented viral crisis, it is inexcusable and unforgivable.
No family can be expected to stay inside and starve.
The GOOD Party calls on ministers, premiers and mayors engaged in managing programmes to feed the poor to issue very clear instructions to their delivery agents to ensure urgent and equitable distribution to all families in need without regard to any single consideration besides addressing food security.
* I am still receiving complaints from informal food traders in Khayelitsha, in particular from Site C, who are not able to get trading permits from the City of Cape Town. The lockdown regulations were amended two weeks ago to allow informal food trading. It is unacceptable that the City is not facilitating this trade. I once again call on the Mayor of Cape Town, Dan Plato, and Premier Alan Winde to prioritise access to food.