Bo-Kaap residents were among those who received food parcels from Ward 77 councillor Brandon Golding.
Mr Golding distributed the bulk of the food parcels to the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers’ Association (BKCRA) last Wednesday, April 15.
He said while it was not the mandate or function of the City to provide this service, as the legislative mandate lays with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the National Department of Social Development, the mayor’s office via the mayor’s discretionary fund has made a limited supply of relief packages available to councillors to distribute to communities or organisations most in .
“The organisation is doing a sterling job in sourcing and distributing food parcels, to residents in need in their respective areas who due to lockdown, may need additional support. They also operate feeding schemes for those in their community in need,” he said.
Bo-Kaap Community Response Team, an initiative started by organisations in the area to support residents while the virus remains a threat, to inform and educate the community about the matter so they take all the precautionary measures, thanked Mr Golding for the parcels.
Spokesman Shafwaan Laubscher said he would ensure the goods reach those in need.
The Western Cape Department of Social Development has made additional funds available for food relief programmes from provincial treasury allocations, to widen its existing nutrition safety net. Food parcels are provided once-off to support a family of four for one month during the lockdown.
The qualifying criteria include among others, households with a family member who tested positive for the virus and are in quarantine in their homes; households where a member of the family who tested have insufficient means to sustain themselves during the lockdown period; people on medication or who suffer from chronic illnesses and have insufficient means to sustain themselves and was assessed and referred by a local clinic or registered health practitioner; and a person and their household who have insufficient means to sustain themselves during the lockdown period and who were referred by a registered humanitarian relief agency, NPO or a municipal manager.
People who are not yet in receipt of Sassa grants, including the elderly, child-headed houses, grant awaiting beneficiaries are prioritised.