Western Cape activists roll out aid and support during lock-down
May 2020
Mawubuye and CSAAWU activists in the Western Cape have been hard at work – and on the road – during the COVID-19 lock-down to provide emergency aid to impoverished farm workers and support to small scale farmers.
Among the aid has been vegetable hampers, seeds and seedlings.
“We identified and drew up a database of around 100 families in need of emergency food aid and supplied them with much needed fresh vegetables,” says Comrade Reinette Heunis, who is based in Suurbraak.
At the same time, Cde Reinette also received a permit to continue working and keep things going at the Suurbraak Aquaponics Farm, which opened last year.
All the fresh vegetables have been purchased from small-scale farmers, some of whom are also members of Mawubuye, the Inyanda affiliate in the Western Cape.
“The vegetable food hampers include butternut, onions, lettuce, spinach, squash and potatoes,” said Cde Reinette.
“These hampers were delivered to impoverished households in Zonali, Robertson, McGregor, Barrydale and Suurbraak. In some instances there were up to ten people in one household,” said Cde Reinette.
In the meantime, efforts to enhance food security on the ground have also been taken up.
“Included with the veggie hampers were seeds from our own seedbank. At the moment we don’t have seedlings for everyone, but that will be ready within a few weeks. However Aunty Elsie, who runs a nursery on her property in Zolani that was setup by Mawubuye, has been distributing seedlings to people in her area,” said Reinette.
Comrade Reinette has advised people that even though it is autumn, it is not too late to plant. There are many food crops that can still be planted, including cabbage, cauliflower, brocolli, beetroot, celery, parsley, spring onions and kale.
In Ladysmith, CSAAWU activists have also been able to distribute food hampers to impoverished farm workers in that area.
