Project launched to help Pretoria west homeless
“They were established as an essential service during the lockdown to provide relief to the poor, homeless and destitute and are currently doing an average of 1 200 hot meals daily to different areas of Pretoria West, including food hampers.”
Many homeless people in the west of Pretoria were able to sleep easy after a project to help them was launched recently.
The project was started by security company, Cinto Guard and police officers from the Hercules police station last Monday.
Since then, the project has grown and several other parties have come on board to assist, said Gordon Visser of the security company.
Rekord reported last week that a group of good Samaritans handed out 150 loaves of bread.
They visited the homeless under the Hendricks Street bridge, Bremer Street informal settlers and behind the post office to give them bread.
“Since then, the Laudium disaster management has come on board to assist us with between 60 and 100 cooked meals every day,” Visser said.
“They were established as an essential service during the lockdown to provide relief to the poor, homeless and destitute and are currently doing an average of 1 200 hot meals daily to different areas of Pretoria West, including food hampers.”
He said by last Thursday, the disaster management had given out 3 100 hampers.
READ MORE: Hercules police, security company help homeless
Visser thanked everyone for their contribution.
“Thanks to them, we were able to help much more than intended. We could even help people living in Elandspoort,” he said.
“So many people are helping us, including Hercules Spar.”
He said the project was aimed at helping those in need.
“This project is not about creating awareness about our security company – it is all about residents helping others,” he said.
“These people do not have many people to help them and they cannot do these things themselves because they have no income.”
Since the start of the lockdown, several organisations from around Pretoria have assisted the less fortunate and homeless people with food.
According to sector 2 Hercules CPF chairperson, Catrien Schoerie, there was a big need for food in the area.
“To date, we were able to deliver about 500 food parcels to people in need,” she said.
“We are trying to help where we can with what we need.”
She said any donation is welcome.
Kilnerpark Security in the Moot also assisted less fortunate families in their area.
“Former local ward councillor Elmarie Linde approached us for help and I made a post on Facebook, asking for help,” said security company spokesperson, Ancelize van der Kooi.
“Since then, we have been able to help many families.”
Van der Kooi said they have even gone as far as to help a family living in Hermanstad.
Former local ward councillor of the area, Elma Nel applauded these initiatives.
“It warms my heart to see all these people reaching out to the less fortunate and helping those in need,” she said.
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