No food parcels for Glen Marikana residents
There are about 1 300 shacks left with over 3 000 people
Glen Marikana Informal Settlement residents seem to be among those who have not benefited from the delivery of food parcels.
According to Ntanganedzeni Netshisiinzhe, one of the community leaders at the settlement, they haven’t received any donations from the government.
“We only received food parcel donations from MES Kempton Park on May 18,” said Netshisiinzhe.
“They gave 172 people food parcels containing sugar, mielie meal, pumpkin, tinned food and rice among other things. They also asked how many people and households were living at the settlement and said they would see what they could do to assist us.
“We truly are grateful to MES Kempton Park for helping us.”
Netshisiinzhe said they were turned down by ward councilor Jaco Terblanche when asking for help.
“We called Terblanche hoping he would be able to help us with food parcels but he told us we needed to go to Putfontein in order to get parcels,” said Netshisiinzhe.
Terblanche said: “Food parcels are a problem all over. I could be wrong, but as far as I know there have been no donations of food parcels in Kempton Park.
“The occupants at Glen Marikana had the opportunity to relocate to the land in Putfontein, as they are illegally living on the land on Dann Road. Council tried its best to help them relocate in time to the new land where there are better living conditions.
“In terms of the distribution of food parcels, the City of Ekurhuleni and the Department of Social Development are failing the people, including residents at Glen Marikana,” said Terblanche.
Netshisiinzhe told Express there were about 1 300 shacks left on the land on Dann Road, which translated to over 3 000 people residing at the informal settlement.
