SEDIBENG.- Rural Women Assembly (RWA) is a self-organised network of rural women movements.

In addition to this, the RWA includes assemblies, committees, and chapters of various unions, federations, and movements, among which Evaton boasts a RWA branch. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, the Gauteng Rural Assembly Coordinator, Wendy Tsotetsi, said they come from rural towns and informal settlements.

“We are farm workers, farm dwellers and seasonal workers. We are from very poor communities who live from hand to mouth on a daily basis, surviving by selling vetkoek for years in our communities and on the streets.

“Some women are seasonal workers who work 6 months of the year and the rest of the year they are home with little or no income.

“Women survive from the social grants. Many of the women have backyard gardens that they sustain from household water and other harvesting methods. However, that is not enough.

“We need more land to curb food insecurity in poor communities,” said Tsotetsi.

According to Tsotetsi, the Coronavirus outbreak has had a serious health impact in the country, as well as the potential impact to significantly affect the lives of women who already lack economic assets, education, and job opportunities.

Tsotetsi told Sedibeng Ster the food riots and looting proved that people are hungry and desperate for some relief.

Furthermore, Tsotetsi mentioned that governmental help by gaining access to land would have prevented this desperation for food in poorer communities, adding that food insecurity is a major issue, with many women and children going to bed hungry.

Tsotetsi calls on the local government to work with rural poor women to release commonage, communal land, and other portions of land that lie barren, close to where they reside.