Madiba’s village faces uphill battle

WHILE South Africa was celebrating the 100th birthday of world icon Nelson Mandela this year, his birth village, Mvezo near Mthatha, is still faced with dire challenges such as high unemployment and poverty rate.

This was the view of Mandela’s daughter-in-law and Mvezo acting senior traditional leader, Nkosikazi Nolusapho Mandela who is Nkosi Mandla Mandela’s mother.

This after she had joined the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and other departments on their visit to the area on Friday to deliver services such as providing IDs and birth certificates to those who lacked them.

Nolusapho said she was pleased by the government’s visit to the area, saying it was more pleasing that it came while the world celebrated Mandela’s centenary.

“However, we are faced with many challenges here, challenges such as high rate of poverty, unemployment and other basic human rights such as provision of water as well as high crime levels,” she said.

Sassa acting provincial manager Oscar Mpetha also echoed Nolusapho’s sentiments, saying “the community here is very poor and destitute”.

He said poverty levels were surprisingly high, with reports showing that poverty levels were at 71% while the unemployment rate was at 51%.

“One may assume that in a place like this where the world icon Madiba was born life would be different, but unfortunately we found a different situation.

“That is the reason that we brought all the other department for integrated services on issues like health, education, agriculture, social development, home affairs and all other related services,” said Mpetha.

The government has set aside 2018 as the year of Nelson Mandela and the provincial government’s sport arts and culture department has put aside R11-million to celebrate the icon.

Part of the year-long celebrations will include the renaming of Port Elizabeth Airport as Nelson Mandela Airport.

Nosithile Nakile, 88, is one of 3 000 elderly and destitute people from Mvezo and the surrounding areas who received food parcels and blankets.

“This has come in handy as we are about to enter winter,” she said.

Nakile said she was using her social grant to look after 15 family members, saying the situation in her household was “dire”.

“The lack of employment is really a problem here, as all my nine children and nephews are all not working. This is bad,” said Nakile.

Sassa delivered 3 000 food parcels to the needy people of not only Mvezo but also of the surrounding areas .

The agency also delivered 726 full school uniforms to destitute children in 26 schools in villages of Mvezo and surrounding areas, as well as 150 blankets to elderly people aged from 70 years and above.

“This is part of celebrating the life of Mandela and the initiative is part of the bigger government programme of celebrating the centenary of Madiba.

“Nkosi Zwelivelile [Mandla] has taken his own initiative to support the community, but cannot do it alone, government and the private sector has got to come in,” said Mpetha.

Nolusapho said that the initiative by Sassa would play a big role in alleviating poverty in Mvezo. –