Date: 16/10/2003
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Shilowa: Imbizo Focus Week: World Food Day
ADDRESS BY GAUTENG PREMIER MBHAZIMA SHILOWA ON THE CELEBRATION OF WORLD FOOD DAY, Simunye, Westonaria, 16 October 2003
Master of Ceremonies
MEC Mary Metcalfe
The Mayor of the West Rand
Councillors
The people of Simunye, Bekkersdal and Westonaria
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Next year it will be ten years since our country achieved freedom and democracy. Today the national government is releasing a report that shows what we have done since 1994 to improve the quality of life for all our people.
We all know that in 1994 our government inherited a country with millions of people afflicted by poverty, disease, neglect, illiteracy and underdevelopment. As the report will show, our government has taken concrete steps to change this situation and improve the quality of life for all our people, especially the poorest of the poor.
But as we all know, ten years is not a sufficient period in which to undo the damage that was caused by centuries of national oppression and neglect. There are still challenges that we have to overcome. Notwithstanding the efforts and successes of the democratic government since 1994, there are a significant number of our people who still live in conditions of abject poverty.
Our government is determined to work with the people to intensify the fight against poverty and bring about a better life for all our people who are still afflicted by problems of poverty, hunger and disease.
Last year when we came here with the President during the Presidential Imbizo we heard distressing accounts of how the people in this area are suffering as a result of poverty. As a caring government, we promised that we would take steps to fight poverty and improve the living condition of the people of this area.
In other parts of Gauteng we have listened to the same heartbreaking accounts from residents who were experiencing the indignity and feeling the pain of poverty and hunger.
As we all know, hunger and lack of nutritious food may pose serious health risks to the people. The poor who cannot afford to buy food are the most vulnerable to this. They get exposed to many diseases which result from hunger and malnutrition.
The experience of hunger is fundamentally a question of human rights and justice. Our collective responsibility in building a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights is to provide access by all the people to sufficient, safe, healthy and nutritious food so that they can pursue a healthy and productive life.
As we celebrate World Food Day today, we reiterate our commitment as the Gauteng Provincial Government to work tirelessly to ensure that all the people of Gauteng are truly free. Freedom for the poor must also mean freedom from hunger.
Our long-term approach in the fight against poverty is that economic development and job creation must lead to the eradication of poverty. In the immediate and medium term we have to take firm steps to achieve this long-term goal. Our society has the responsibility to develop a holistic system to ensure the production of food and access to it by the poor.
It is most appropriate that on World Food Day we launch our Household Food Security "starter pack" Programme here in Simunye. Through this programme we will ensure that the most vulnerable people, the majority of whom are women and children, receive nutritious food everyday.
The programme plays a critical role in alleviating the impact of poverty through involving beneficiaries in producing food for themselves and their families.
Through this programme we provide "starter packs" to beneficiaries in dire need who have access to land and water to enable them to cultivate vegetable and fruit in their backyards.
The programme provides support over a three-month period to help beneficiaries to utilize the "starter packs" productively.
The participating families can produce enough food from their backyards for home consumption and if they produce more they can sell the surplus and use the money to buy meet and other household needs.
In February this year when we opened the Gauteng Provincial Legislature we announced that the "starter pack" pilot programme would be launched in Metsweding, Sedibeng and the West Rand districts, where there is critical need. The areas have been identified as Simunye, Zithobeni and Kanana.
The selection of beneficiaries was done in consultation with the Local Authority, the ward committees and the Gauteng Department of Social Services. The starter pack equipments, worth R 1000-00, have been handed to each household in the areas.
In 2004, the Gauteng Provincial Government is intending to extend this pilot through consultation with Local Authorities, Ward Committees and other stakeholders. Together we will create access to adequate, nutritious and affordable food on a daily basis for our people to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.
The "starter pack" programme is targeting the most vulnerable of our Gauteng population. Approximately 70% beneficiaries are women. The targeting of women is especially important in view of the fact that women, as primary care givers, and children, are most vulnerable to poverty and poor nutrition. In Gauteng 57% of the unemployed are women and the majority of female-headed households are classified poor.
Apart from the Household Food Security Programme the Gauteng Provincial Government has programmes which support school children from poor families. Presently 410 000 children in pre-schools and primary schools are being fed through the school nutrition scheme.
This year we also started a pilot nutrition programme in 24 secondary schools in informal settlements and rural areas.
Children from rural areas and informal settlement also have access to free scholar transport.
There is no doubt that the Gauteng Provincial Government is committed to fight poverty and eliminate hunger. But government alone can not solve the difficult problems of hunger and malnutrition. NGOs and community based organizations have also played a critical role through promoting access to and skills in organic urban agriculture. In many areas residents are putting shoulders to the wheel to establish their own food production programmes.
Our appeal to all the people of Gauteng is that let us celebrate this year's World Food Day by joining the "International Alliance against Poverty". Let us all rededicating ourselves to fight poverty and eliminate hunger. Together let us work to ensure that in Gauteng no child goes to school hungry and no one goes to bed hungry on a single day.
For more information contact Thabo Masebe on 082 410 8087
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government,
16 October 2003
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Shilowa: Imbizo Focus Week: World Food Day
ADDRESS BY GAUTENG PREMIER MBHAZIMA SHILOWA ON THE CELEBRATION OF WORLD FOOD DAY, Simunye, Westonaria, 16 October 2003
Master of Ceremonies
MEC Mary Metcalfe
The Mayor of the West Rand
Councillors
The people of Simunye, Bekkersdal and Westonaria
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Next year it will be ten years since our country achieved freedom and democracy. Today the national government is releasing a report that shows what we have done since 1994 to improve the quality of life for all our people.
We all know that in 1994 our government inherited a country with millions of people afflicted by poverty, disease, neglect, illiteracy and underdevelopment. As the report will show, our government has taken concrete steps to change this situation and improve the quality of life for all our people, especially the poorest of the poor.
But as we all know, ten years is not a sufficient period in which to undo the damage that was caused by centuries of national oppression and neglect. There are still challenges that we have to overcome. Notwithstanding the efforts and successes of the democratic government since 1994, there are a significant number of our people who still live in conditions of abject poverty.
Our government is determined to work with the people to intensify the fight against poverty and bring about a better life for all our people who are still afflicted by problems of poverty, hunger and disease.
Last year when we came here with the President during the Presidential Imbizo we heard distressing accounts of how the people in this area are suffering as a result of poverty. As a caring government, we promised that we would take steps to fight poverty and improve the living condition of the people of this area.
In other parts of Gauteng we have listened to the same heartbreaking accounts from residents who were experiencing the indignity and feeling the pain of poverty and hunger.
As we all know, hunger and lack of nutritious food may pose serious health risks to the people. The poor who cannot afford to buy food are the most vulnerable to this. They get exposed to many diseases which result from hunger and malnutrition.
The experience of hunger is fundamentally a question of human rights and justice. Our collective responsibility in building a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights is to provide access by all the people to sufficient, safe, healthy and nutritious food so that they can pursue a healthy and productive life.
As we celebrate World Food Day today, we reiterate our commitment as the Gauteng Provincial Government to work tirelessly to ensure that all the people of Gauteng are truly free. Freedom for the poor must also mean freedom from hunger.
Our long-term approach in the fight against poverty is that economic development and job creation must lead to the eradication of poverty. In the immediate and medium term we have to take firm steps to achieve this long-term goal. Our society has the responsibility to develop a holistic system to ensure the production of food and access to it by the poor.
It is most appropriate that on World Food Day we launch our Household Food Security "starter pack" Programme here in Simunye. Through this programme we will ensure that the most vulnerable people, the majority of whom are women and children, receive nutritious food everyday.
The programme plays a critical role in alleviating the impact of poverty through involving beneficiaries in producing food for themselves and their families.
Through this programme we provide "starter packs" to beneficiaries in dire need who have access to land and water to enable them to cultivate vegetable and fruit in their backyards.
The programme provides support over a three-month period to help beneficiaries to utilize the "starter packs" productively.
The participating families can produce enough food from their backyards for home consumption and if they produce more they can sell the surplus and use the money to buy meet and other household needs.
In February this year when we opened the Gauteng Provincial Legislature we announced that the "starter pack" pilot programme would be launched in Metsweding, Sedibeng and the West Rand districts, where there is critical need. The areas have been identified as Simunye, Zithobeni and Kanana.
The selection of beneficiaries was done in consultation with the Local Authority, the ward committees and the Gauteng Department of Social Services. The starter pack equipments, worth R 1000-00, have been handed to each household in the areas.
In 2004, the Gauteng Provincial Government is intending to extend this pilot through consultation with Local Authorities, Ward Committees and other stakeholders. Together we will create access to adequate, nutritious and affordable food on a daily basis for our people to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.
The "starter pack" programme is targeting the most vulnerable of our Gauteng population. Approximately 70% beneficiaries are women. The targeting of women is especially important in view of the fact that women, as primary care givers, and children, are most vulnerable to poverty and poor nutrition. In Gauteng 57% of the unemployed are women and the majority of female-headed households are classified poor.
Apart from the Household Food Security Programme the Gauteng Provincial Government has programmes which support school children from poor families. Presently 410 000 children in pre-schools and primary schools are being fed through the school nutrition scheme.
This year we also started a pilot nutrition programme in 24 secondary schools in informal settlements and rural areas.
Children from rural areas and informal settlement also have access to free scholar transport.
There is no doubt that the Gauteng Provincial Government is committed to fight poverty and eliminate hunger. But government alone can not solve the difficult problems of hunger and malnutrition. NGOs and community based organizations have also played a critical role through promoting access to and skills in organic urban agriculture. In many areas residents are putting shoulders to the wheel to establish their own food production programmes.
Our appeal to all the people of Gauteng is that let us celebrate this year's World Food Day by joining the "International Alliance against Poverty". Let us all rededicating ourselves to fight poverty and eliminate hunger. Together let us work to ensure that in Gauteng no child goes to school hungry and no one goes to bed hungry on a single day.
For more information contact Thabo Masebe on 082 410 8087
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government,
16 October 2003
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