Christmas Comes Early for Orient Hill Community
Christmas came early for the disadvantaged community members of Orient Hill in Mogale City as Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile handed out food and meat parcels to about 800 families on Thursday.
About 100 of the beneficiaries were pensioners. The food parcels were donated by a private company called the Fountain Educational Trust.
Premier Mashatile said this was part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's plans to strengthen partnerships with the private sector to fight poverty.
"We are grateful and want to ensure that vulnerable members of the community are provided with assistance, especially during Christmas time," said Mashatile.
Mashatile noted that many of the people in the area were either on pensions or unemployed so that "bit extra something" for them would make all the difference.
Christina Marikwane, 58, who stays with her five grandchildren, said this could not have come at a better time.
"I am unemployed and not yet on pension, so it is always a struggle to make ends meet. I am very grateful to our government for doing this for us especially during Christmas because I didn't know what I would give my grandchildren but now I will be able to put a huge smile on their faces," said Marikwane.
Another community member, Joyce Mongatane, 59, echoed Marikwane's sentiments, saying she was overjoyed for the assistance that the government and the private sector brought in their community.
"I make a living by selling handmade handbags, there is no one working in my family and I have so many mouths to feed. This is a huge relief for me, my children and their children will have a normal Christmas like everyone else," she said.
Representative of a private company, Fountain Educational Trust, Aydin Inal said they have been distributing food parcels to needy families throughout South Africa for seven years.
"We met with the Premier and he identified this place as one of the most disadvantaged areas that could benefit from our programme. We are happy that we can make a little difference in people's lives especially during this time of the year," said Inal.
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