Act of ubuntu to fight poverty

MEMBERS of the African Farmers’ Association of SA (Afasa) have lent a hand to impoverished communities in the fight against poverty during lockdown.

The association’s act of kindness is for 50 cows to be slaughtered and processed into 5 000 meat parcels of 5kg to be distributed across the province.

On Friday, 25 cows were handed to the provincial government at an event held by the Department of Agriculture, in Cedara, near Pietermaritzburg.

Jabulani Mthembu, Afasa chairperson in Kwazulu-natal, was delighted with the positive response. He said while the agricultural sector had its own challenges it was in the spirit of ubuntu to lend a hand to the impoverished families.

“We decided to start this initiative and the response is positive. We are expecting more, and many of our stakeholders want to come on board.”

Mthembu said the department of agriculture would assist in identifying certified abattoirs where the cows would be slaughtered and processed.

While receiving 25 cows from Afasa, Premier Sihle Zikalala said the department, in turn, has added 40 cows to ensure enough meat is available as part of the food parcels.

“As a province whose livelihood largely depends on agriculture, we are forever cognizant that to prosper we cannot have our rural communities especially the farm-workers and farm-dwellers languishing in poverty.

“It pleases us that we are seeing these organisations working together with government in an act of ubuntu.”

Bongi Sithole-moloi, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, said she was delighted the private sector has come on board to join forces in fighting poverty.