Kwa-Thema community members received food parcels and clothing donations at the Salvation Army Church on September 13.

To celebrate their second anniversary, the GWM Haval Beast Ladies decided to give back to the Ward 74 community.

Salvation Army Lieutenant Ziphozethu Keyisi said the church approached Councillor Thulani Simelane to identify community members who needed essential donations.

“As a church, it is also our mission to serve and help restore the dignity of the community,” she said.

Keyisi added that she was touched to witness the initiative being carried out in the church.

“I am extremely happy because we know the circumstances of many people are heartbreaking,” Keyisi said.

“People are experiencing unemployment, and others rely on social grants to survive so seeing them receive food parcels is wonderful. It also helps show them the love of God and that he is alive.”

Simelane shared similar sentiments, stating that the initiative will help alleviate financial pressures.

“It’s an initiative that doesn’t benefit individuals but makes a difference in families’ livelihoods. We hope to see more stakeholders to assist the community and also help alleviate the unemployment,” Simelane said.

Resident Thembisile Sibiya expressed her joy and gratitude at receiving donations.

“I feel encouraged and it gives us hope that our situations will change. Today felt like a healing for us and as a community we hope to promote this kind of programme to neighbouring communities,” Sibiya said.

Zanoxolo Mathunjwa-Mkhwanazi said the GWM Haval Beast Ladies have visited and supported different communities, but Kwa-Thema is particularly meaningful because it is the community she grew up in.

“More importantly, the Salvation Army has been doing incredible work in supporting and helping the local community.

“We felt that partnering with an organisation that is already deeply rooted in the community and committed to helping others was the perfect fit for our two-year celebration.

“We wanted to mark this milestone by giving back and making a meaningful difference,” she said.

She highlighted that their journey goes beyond cars and focuses on connection, sisterhood, and making a lasting impact. She revealed their plan to carry out similar initiatives in other communities.

“Giving back is something we want to continue growing as part of who we are as a group. We’ve already had the opportunity to support communities in places such as Witbank and Soweto, just to name a few, and we want to continue reaching even more communities and supporting causes that need our help,” Mkhwanazi said.

She highlighted the significance of celebrating two years and what it means to celebrate their growth.

“Two years is a beautiful milestone. And, as we all know, they call it the ‘terrible twos’ – the stage where a child starts walking, talking a lot, testing boundaries and keeping you on your toes with plenty of little reprimands in between.

“In many ways, our group has gone through its own version of the terrible twos.

“We’ve grown, found our voice, built strong friendships, navigated challenges and most importantly, continued moving forward together,” Mkhwanazi said.

“For us, celebrating our growth means sharing our blessings, uplifting others and using our platform for a greater purpose.

“We are grateful for everyone who has supported the GWM Haval Beast Ladies over the past two years, and we look forward to reaching even more communities and making an even greater impact together,” she concluded.

The programme included a fun quiz where residents could win hats, entertainment for the children, and a cake-cutting ceremony.