COVID-19 Food Parcels brings divisions in the community

25 April 2020
Monametse Village
Story by Gilbert Moela

On the 24 April 2020 Gift of the Givers in collaboration with Anglo Platinum and the Department of Social Development embarked on a mission to distribute food parcels in Ward 34 villages. Atok nodal point which have almost 8 villages which include amongst them Monametse, Sefateng, Maruping, Malomanye were some of their targeted villages. An appeal was made e villagers 3 weeks prior the actual distribution day.

 Most villagers in Sefateng, Maruping and Malomanye claim that they have registered and according to their socioeconomic status they do qualify for the food parcels although the qualification criteria according to them was vague. Upon arrival the Social Development produced a different list with different names.

 This left most villagers aggravated as the list included the working class side-lining the most destitute families in the village. A Ward Committee who spoke anonymously said that before the list was finalized they were called to Thusong Community Service Centre to verify if they’re satisfied with the name on the list and that’s were others found an opportunity to put in names of their friends and family members which let to Communities chasing away the truck until the list issue was resolved. To their surprise when they woke up this morning they found out that people who were on the list fraudulently received the food parcels last night whilst most villagers were asleep.

Without doubt the COVID-19 food Parcels has brought to the fore hatred within our Communities