North West MEC for Social Development, Boitumelo Moiloa accompanied by the Executive Mayor of Madibeng Local Municipality, Councillor Murphy Ratloi and Ward 26 Councillor Wendy Pretorius, visited the community of Wonderkop and Nkaneng Informal Settlements in Marikana. The visit was part of the Department's Community Outreach Programme in collaboration with Matlhasedi Foundation to reach out to families in distress. These included families that are led by unemployed women and child headed households among others.

 

According to Jan Pretorius, one of the Directors from the Foundation, over 4 000 families in the area of Wonderkop and Nkaneng informal settlements benefited from food parcels distributed by Matlhasedi Foundation. The area is predominantly occupied by labour migrants from various parts of our country as well foreign nationals from the SADC region, who mostly struggle to make ends meet due to unemployment in the mining sector.

 

MEC Moiloa expressed her sincere appreciation and commended the spirit of Ubuntu shown by Matlhasedi Foundation during this time of need. "I would like to take this moment to thank the Foundation for assisting our people in the North West Province. Our strategic collaboration will go a long way to ensure that together, we support communities in distress", said Moiloa. She further extended her invitation to other companies throughout the country to forge a relationship with the Department in order to extend social development services to more citizens who are experiencing hardship in light of COVID-19.

 

Amongst the beneficiaries visited by the MEC and her entourage was the youth headed family of Olwethu Mngcakeni (20). The family lost both parents and like many within their community, survives on child support grants. Despite the social challenges ravaging her family, Olwethu put up a brave face and thanked the Department and the Foundation for their generosity.

 

MEC Moiloa concluded her visit by emphasizing her Department's commitment to provide quality basic services to the entire community of the North West Province.