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Ward 33 proportional representative councillors Suzette Little and Thulani Stemela wrapped up Women’s Month in style on Friday last week as they presented senior citizens in Sweethome, Philippi, with food parcels and blankets.
About 40 seniors were recipients of the goodwill.
Little said the objective was to give back to the community. She praised the seniors for their contribution during the Struggle.
“We are here today to honour and thank them for the role they played in fighting apartheid,” she said. “These are women who can’t find their names in the history books, but they were part of the struggle.”
She added that they also visited the area to talk to senior citizens about their needs.
“The conditions here are appalling. The area is filthy because of illegal dumping,” she said. “We need to improve their living conditions. We renovated one structure last month on Mandela Day, and there are other two families that we have identified whose shacks are not in good condition.”
Little admitted that they were not coming with permanent solutions, but they wanted to make some shacks ideal for living.
Ward 33 committee chairperson Vuyokazi Madela described the event as a great initiative poverty alleviation.
“This is a great thing because the majority of the beneficiaries are unemployed. And as leaders in the area, we also appreciate the contribution made by the PR councillors,” said Madela.
She added that crime and unemployment were very high in the neighbourhood.
One of the beneficiaries, Nonceba Hlela, 64, thanked the organisers for their donation. However, she said they were desperate for houses. “I have more than a decade staying in a shack. The housing development is very slow in this area. We need proper houses,” said Hlela.
