As part of its effort to fight poverty and hunger in Gauteng, the provincial Department of Social Development launched a state-run food distribution centre in Centurion on Sunday.
Head of Department Phumla Sekhonyane said the food storage facility was the first of its kind in the entire country.
She explained that the department was shifting from the traditional approach of outsourcing or partnering with non-profit organisations (NPOs) for food distribution in the province.
“The usual model for food distribution involves outsourcing or using non-profit organisations but the Gauteng provincial government gave us a directive as the Department of Social Development to establish a state-run food distribution centre,” she said.
She said the new model aligns with Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s directive that the department must complete the work internally, thereby creating job opportunities for young people to join the value chain.
During the 2025 State of the Province Address Lesufi indicated that the new model for state-operated facilities represents a strategic shift from the existing NPO-led model to a government-managed system.
“Overall the importance of this programme is that we are implementing the directive to improve the capacity of the State and have the State deliver these services on its own instead of relying on external parties,” Sekhonyane said.
She noted that Statistics South Africa estimates that 23% of people in Gauteng are living below the poverty line, adding that the government food relief programme reaches about 400,000 people.
Last year her department distributed at least 10,000 food parcels in Tshwane alone, over 35,000 in Johannesburg, and about 30,000 in Ekurhuleni.
“While Gauteng is the economic hub of the country we continue to experience high levels of poverty. In fact, whilst we have improved from the Covid levels of poverty we still haven’t reached the pre-Covid level, we are still recovering. Therefore the government has different programmes to try and mitigate the levels of poverty,” she said.
She said her department often receives referrals from various sectors of the society regarding families in dire need of food.
Her department, Sekhonyane said, would visit the families to analyse their circumstances upon receiving referrals.
“We also look at the level of employment. If you are a family of five or 10 and no one is employed in the entire family we profile and we get a social worker to work with that family to look at the circumstances,” she said.
She said after a period of three years, the department comes back to assess the family’s circumstances and assist with linking them to economic opportunities and skills development to get them out of poverty.
“The good thing about this programme is that it also creates opportunities for young people to come and be part of the value chain and earn an income for themselves,” she said, adding that the department has, so far, created about 70 job opportunities through the process.
Department MEC Faith Mazibuko said the food parcels consist of soya mince, canned fish, rice, mealie meal, peanut butter, cooking oil.
Mazibuko said beneficiaries include child-headed households, the unemployed, and those on medication who cannot afford nutritious food.
She explained that unemployed beneficiaries also receive skills development assistance because “we cannot give you food parcels for life”.
“We have to ensure that we empower you and link you to available opportunities,” she said, citing government programmes such as ‘one household, one job opportunity’ and Nasi Ispani as examples of government social relief interventions.
Rapula Moatshe
iol.co.za
