Gauteng residents stand to benefit from a food relief program by the Gauteng Department of Social Development in partnership with Portuguese Forum of South Africa (PFSA).
Recently in the State of the Province Address Premier David Makhura said that about 3 million residents of Gauteng cannot meet their nutritional needs. He indicated that, "Government alone will not win the battle against poverty, but it needs to join forces with the private sector".
During the food donation by the PFSA, the Gauteng Social Development, MEC, Morakane Mosupyoe said "we have five food banks across the province that serve as point of distribution which helps to mitigate the effect of poverty especially now during the coronavirus pandemic".
"The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it the dreadful reminder of the crisis of poverty in our country. Covid-19 aggravated the crisis of hunger and poverty. In 2020, families were in distress: some lost their loved ones, some families even lost their breadwinners.
Defeating the crisis of food insecurity isn't just a constitutional mandate but a moral obligation. That is why initiatives such as these are crucial", Mosupyoe reiterated, when receiving food donation at the Johannesburg Food Bank.
The Portuguese Forum is one of the NPOs that had a hand in ensuring that food security initiative is a success.
This is not their first contribution to this initiative. From the very beginning of the national lockdown, the Portuguese Forum committed to donate tons of food for government initiative and today government received their latest donation, in line with the commitment made when the national lockdown started.
Portuguese Head of Mission Manuel Ghainha do Vale said, "In my few months in this country I appreciate the way government, non-profit organizations and the private sector work together for a common goal. Already we have distributed tons of vegetables and mielie meal in the province".
The Portuguese Forum of South Africa is a non-profit organization that supports and works with government, municipality and all authorities to advocate and empower the Portuguese-South Africans.
"We are truly grateful as the DSD to have the Portuguese Forum as one of our key partners in ensuring that as government we are able to render services to the people of Gauteng", MEC said.