​At least two hundred (200) residents of Kwa-Thema, Tsakane, and Duduza in the Ekurhuleni Region received warm meals in the middle of rainy and cold weather from the Gauteng Department of Social Development and its partnering NPO, the Ubuntu Community Empowerment Centre.
Acting Director for Stakeholder Relations, Khosi Radebe, led the Food Security program, which also saw a hundred and fifty (150) families receiving food parcels and a further five (5) families receiving pyramid gardens from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (GDARDE).

Speaking to the Weekly Bulletin on Monday, Radebe said, “Today we are here in KwaTsaDuza and surrounding informal settlements together with our sister Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment to execute our food security program.”

“We are happy that GDARDE has committed itself to establishing a further two hundred (200) food gardens in the area. On this rainy day, we are keeping our people warm, and food secured,” said Radebe.

An official from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, Lucky Lesufi, reiterated that they would return to the community as soon as they received new stock for the 2024–25 financial year.

“Today we did a symbolic handover to five (5) houses, where we handed over pyramid gardens. Our beneficiaries will start planting their vegetables”.

“Unfortunately, we did not have seedlings, but we provided seeds. So, immediately when we receive all the garden tools and seedlings, we will come back again.”

“Our main purpose is to hand over this equipment to every family that received a food parcel today,” said Lesufi.

Kusa-Kusa Gabela, Induna from Kwa-Thema Hostel, extended words of appreciation to the Gauteng Department of Social Development and the Ubuntu Community Empowerment Centre for their continued support in providing daily hot meals to hostel residents.