Festive wishes from MEC Nkakareng Rakgoale
In this time of festivities and spending time with family, we want to urge communities to be mindful of the Covid-19 pandemic and the risk it poses to our loved ones.
LIMPOPO – The year 2021 has not been without its challenges. After the Covid-19 pandemic arrived on our shores in 2020, we have become accustomed to different levels of lockdown, losing loved ones and various other hardships that came as a result of the global turn-down of the economy.
We are now approaching the end of 2021 and we are hopefully going to have a well-deserved rest. In this time of festivities and spending time with family, we want to urge communities to be mindful of the Covid-19 pandemic and the risk it poses to our loved ones. We continue to urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible to help relieve the possible pressure that might be experienced by our health system, as more and more positive cases are reported.
The festive season also comes with the indulgence and even over-indulgence in food and alcoholic beverages. We wish to take this opportunity to ask of our citizens to remember people less fortunate during this time. Let us remember those who are not going to sit down to a festive meal. If we can afford to do so, let us make donations to non-profit organisations or accredited institutions who will ensure that everyone has a happy Christmas.
The abuse of alcohol and other illicit substances in this time should be minimised, as it not only causes promiscuity, violence, road accidents and a careless attitude towards Covid-19 safety, but is also a main contributor to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), as well as child neglect and abuse. We continue to experience a high rate of GBVF in Limpopo. Our sincere hope is that we will not experience more unnecessary violence during this time that is meant to be peaceful and prosperous. We urge parents to know where their children are at all times during this time and beyond. Shops and shopping malls are very busy, dams and rivers are swelling due to the high rainfall and sexual predators are lurking everywhere, knowing that children are home from school. Let us keep them safe.
This time of the year is also known for a higher number of suicides. We therefore call on citizens to be mindful of their neighbours and friends who may be alone in this time and to give them the necessary attention. If any of these aforementioned situations should arise, our social workers are deployed all over the province to assist with intervention, counselling and support for vulnerable groups and individuals.
Let us keep them and all other emergency workers who will be on duty during the festive season in our prayers. On behalf of the Department of Social Development, I wish all of the citizens of Limpopo a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Please stay safe on the roads and at home. May the year 2022 see the province go from strength to strength and may we succeed in creating a caring and self-reliant society, together!
