Durban – As heavy rains continue to affect poor communities in KwaZulu-Natal more companies are coming on board to provide social relief.
On Friday, Illovo sugar working with Merebank businesses through Merewest Community Foundation donated 100 food parcels to the people that were directly and indirectly affected by the recent devastating floods that hit Durban and some parts of the province last month.
Sinah Phindela, a community leader in Lamontville who is a member of the Umkhonto We Sizwe Veterans Association, said she was asked by the DA PR councillor to compile a list of poor people who deserved to get food parcels because of their plight after the floods.
Phindela said that the foundation facilitated the donations and everyone was happy when they received their parcels on Friday, urging more companies to lend a hand.
She added that people were still reeling from the looting, Covid-19 and recent flooding disasters because although some were not directly affected by recent floods as their houses did not collapse but they felt they should be included in the list because some have since lost their lost jobs after the outbreak of Covid-19 and looting in July last year.
“We wish to express our gratitude to Illovo and other companies that lent a hand. Our thanks also go to the Merewest Community Foundation as well as councillor Sithembiso Ngema for facilitating the donations. We urge other companies and individuals to continue assisting our poor communities in Lamontville as heavy rains continue to affect people,” said Phindela.
Councillor Sthembiso Ngema said although he is a councillor for ward 74 he felt he should also assist ward 75 affected people and asked Phindela to help identify beneficiaries, saying he did not mind working with ANC activists like her because poverty knows no political affiliations.
Ngema added that he was prepared to work with anyone irrespective of which party that person belonged to, saying as long he or she shared the common goal of helping poor people.
“We ask sponsors to physically be involved to give parcels to the people themselves because there have been complaints that politicians were giving parcels to friends and their families,” said Ngema.
Foundation chairperson Premila Deonath said the organisation believed in the dignity of all people irrespective of their age, gender or race hence they facilitated donations for people in black communities.
Daily News