VANDERBIJLPARK – In a region where hunger is a constant presence, one kitchen in Vanderbijlpark is transforming recipes into rescue for thousands.
From big, shiny steel pots, Thusong Projects is feeding 3 000 mouths a day across the Vaal.
Delivering hot broth accompanied by bread, Thusong helps eradicate poverty.
At the heart of this bubbling miracle stands one woman, Mavis Radebe, the culinary queen of care who cooks mouthwatering soup every morning.
For more than 10 years, Radebe has been cooking up storms and silencing stomach growls with nothing but grit, garlic, and tons of soup.
Stealing a quick five-minute break between stirring and serving, Mavis told Ster South how cooking for the less fortunate inspires her every day.
“Waking up to come cook for such a huge number means a lot. My contribution is a genuine gesture that impacts people’s lives. Even though this is a job to me, it inspires me to wake up each day and seize the moment to put something in people’s tummies,” she said.
While Thusong is a sole contributor to many, the organisation isn’t doing it alone.
With a little help, the project got a backup of more than 80 local organisations from NPOs, churches, creches, and more lined up with their containers, ready to dish out the day’s nourishment to their communities.
One such organisation is the Dante Chan Christian Centre in Vanderbijlpark, which feeds 200 people.
kitchen. Photo: Sifiso Jimta
The pastor at the church, Alwyn Wilken, said they collect food at Thusong to give to hundreds from Monday to Friday.
“We give to the city people and the poor who need something to eat for their daily survival,” he said.
General Manager at Thusanang, Daisy Makume, shared how this dream began.
“We cook 1 600 litres of soup in a day. The organisation helps us distribute the soup. This is a large number, and working alone, we wouldn’t be able to reach such a quantity in the Vaal.”
“We serve organisations from Vanderbijlpark to Evaton. This project was initially started to address food security needs in the Vaal. A lot of families struggled with food and a high number of unemployed people,” she said.
“We used to deliver soup to struggling schools only and saw the need to extend the campaign to random people too. We have been doing this since 2000; however, in 2021, we saw an increase in organisations coming to request our services,” she said.
