As a gallant fighter against inequality and  poverty  it is very befitting that I dedicate this year’s Winter Relief Programme in honour of Nelson Mandela .

Alfred Rens Isibindi Centre
Donkerhoek
Kimberley

Programme Director

Head Of Department : Ms Liz Botes
Non Governmental Organisations
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentleman

As a gallant fighter against inequality and  poverty  it is very befitting that I dedicate this year’s Winter Relief Programme in honour of Nelson Mandela.

Like Nelson Mandela said at the at the Launch of the Make Poverty History Campaign at Trafalgar Square in London I too believe that “ Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right; the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom”. 
Therefore because it can be overcome by human beings where as the Northern Cape Provincial Government are to here launch and implement our Winter Relief Programme to assist all those that are need of our services to emancipate them from hunger and poverty.

Ladies and Gentleman

A country’s progress is assessed to a large extent on its ability to care and defend the rights of the most vulnerable of its citizens. This is done through programs to raise the quality of life and limit their vulnerabilities. The protection of the poor and vulnerable is therefore top government priority.

One of these interventions is the Winter Relief Programme. The aim of the programme is to provide temporary relief to families and households that are facing hardships and are unable to meet their families basic needs.

Relief is provided in the form of food parcels, school uniforms, blankets, mattresses. The target groups are orphans and vulnerable children, unemployed people, older persons, ECD Centres and unfunded soup kitchens and persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Ladies and gentleman poverty cannot be dealt with in isolation from the broader context of the family and community. Most of the South African families and communities, in particular those who were disadvantaged by past regimes find it very difficult to get out of the poverty trap. They have remained poor throughout their lifespan and in many cases across generations.

There are many causes of Poverty and its nature is also multi-dimensional. Lack of access to basic services such as housing, water, electricity, education as well as the disintegration of families, communities and social networks make up some of the common features of poverty. Families and communities presenting these features suffer multiple deprivation which impact on all its members, in particular children.

Tackling Poverty therefore requires a co-ordinated approach to services for families with young children to improve access to employment , essential public services and early childhood development services . It is very important to recognise the role of parents, community and faith based organisations and the private sector in tackling poverty.

Government cannot uproot poverty alone but through partnerships with our agencies such as SASSA and the National Development Agency and the NGO’s who embrace the principle of a caring society.

In 2010 we launched the Balelapa Household Profile Project. The information extracted from these reports has allowed us to plan and make critical interventions in the fight against poverty.

Out of this Balelapa report, we have identified 1 250 households or families across the Province with no income, living in abject or chronic poverty. The Northern Cape Cabinet has agreed to coordinate the provision of a comprehensive basket of services to these 1 250 households.  By this time next year, we would have changed drastically the lives of these 1250 families, encapsulating a Better Life for 5000 people altogether.

The focus of our winter relief program will primarily be in the 63 War on Poverty Wards in which the 1250 households find themselves . To mention a few of the areas where will be covering over the next three months as part of the program is Phillipstown , Victoria West and Strydenburg in the Pixley Ka Seme District , Hondeklipbaai in Namakwa and Moshaweng and Bendel in John Taolo Gaetsewe.

Ladies and Gentleman because we cannot allow our people to sleep hungry the Department of Social Development will therefore establish 28 new soup kitchens in War on Poverty areas to the value of almost R 3 million, ensuring that all 63 War on Poverty areas in the Province have a soup kitchen.  This will bring the total soup kitchens made possible by government to 106.  I would like to encourage community members who are hungry to please go the soup kitchens where they can be served with a meal and not perish from hunger. No person deserves to go hungry due to lack of food.

In conclusion ladies and gentleman I would like to quote Samuel Johnson who was a famous British author and made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer and editor . I quote “Resolve not to be poor, whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness, it certainly destroys liberty , and it makes some virtues impracticable and others extremely difficult.”

Let us join hands to jointly tackle the evil of poverty and contribute to ensure a better life for the people in the Northern Cape Province

I thank you.