Staff Reporter
Hunger and poverty levels in the country could be significantly reduced if government support received by most people is used for the intended purposes, Free State Social Development MEC Mamiki Qabathe has said.
She said this in response to a suggestion that the government should make more food available for the needy and extend the feeding programmes so that they also provide dinner.
“Government is doing a lot interventions,” said Qabathe during a media briefing organised by the provincial education department to give an update on the phased in re-opening of schools which started Monday.
The social development department works closely with education to ensure learners get adequate psycho-social support and nutrition, among others.
Qabathe said the vulnerable groups are already getting a lot of support from the government but some of it is not being used for what it’s intended for, particularly the child support grants.
“What we should be doing as a community is to engage one another in a very honest manner and fight to ensure that the child grant goes towards its intended purpose,” the MEC said.
“This government is paying a lot of grants to ease the burden of hunger and poverty.
“And that goes along with a responsibility from the parents to prioritise the needs of the children before any other thing.”
She said of the 2.8 million people living in the Free State, 1.1 million are receiving either social grants or stipends to ensure the burden of poverty and hunger is eased.
Qabathe said children who go to no-fee paying schools receive meals on a daily basis and those coming from more vulnerable families are also given food to take home after school.
“The no-fee paying schools is one intervention . . . It is the government that is paying the fees for those children,” she said.
“These no-fee paying schools are feeding children and in some of the schools the people who are feeding are working with the teachers to identify vulnerable children.
“They do give them something to go home with if there is anything left.
“I experienced it at Mamello High School – when there are leftovers, they do give to those that are more vulnerable than the others.”
The Free State also has 46 community nutrition and development centres where children go after school to get a meal.
And depending on the availability of volunteer teachers, the children are also helped with homework at these centres.
“Much has been done,” Qabathe said.
“Of course we do not cater for all the people as we would wish to but, most importantly, if what’s going out now can be directed to the intended purpose, we will reduce the levels of poverty and hunger even more.
“We need to ensure that the grants do not go to unintended purposes but to those they are intended for.”
As part of improved relief measures during the national lockdown, the government recently announced increases in most of its social grants as well as introducing new support for those that are unemployed.