Steynsburg cries have finally awoken master

MANY believed that the impoverished community of Steynsburg, under the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, was being rejected and neglected when it came to development and service delivery.

The community is characterised by a high employment rate, high levels of crime and a high percentage of youth idling with no direction. The community lives below the poverty line.

The cries from Steynsburg have finally woken the master. It was a great relief to learn that the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural development, Mcebisi Skwatsha, has roped in other stakeholders to hear the struggles of the people.

The deputy minister brought five other deputy ministers from various departments, three MECs, mayors and non-profit organisations such as the Gift of the Givers to bring services and a development programme to the disgruntled Steynsburg community during a recent outreach programme.

Deputy Minister Sdumo Dlamini pledged that the department under his portfolio will roll out rural development programmes and the rural ICT programme aimed at youth development.

On the day, the Department of Human Settlements gave 200 food parcels for poor households. The Gift of the Givers pledged to bring a soup kitchen to the community.