​Gauteng Premier, David Makhura together with the Members of the Executive Council (MECs) on Wednesday, 25 March 2020, briefed the media on measures taken by the provincial government to give effect to the lockdown announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday.
During the briefing, acting MEC for Social Development, Panyaza Lesufi said 30 schools have been identified in the inner-city areas for social services support of the homeless people in Gauteng.
These schools will provide shelter for the homeless and daily meals.
"These schools have boarding facilities so will be used to accommodate homeless people temporarily," said Lesufi.
He said the department would also extend the National School Nutrition programme which currently feeds just over 1.5 million learners per day.
"The programme will be extended to the beneficiaries for the period of the lock down, whilst the learners are still on recess. Beneficiaries will be given a once-off food parcel, catering for a full month," he said.
Lesufi added that a meeting is underway to communicate the requirements but there is confirmation that the storage is available and that they will be able to accommodate the Department of Education on the food parcels.
The cost for the relieve is estimated at more R 135 million over a period of 30 days which has been budgeted for in the current contract.  The funds are available in the conditional grant and voted funds. With the available budget, government can afford R100 per learner per food parcel.
School principals will be called in to issue out food parcels to individual learners on Monday at a particular school.
Learners who use buses to schools will be ferried to their respective schools to get their food parcels.