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23 October 2008

The Department of Agriculture acted quickly following the shocking news that pupils at Philemon Ngcelwane High School in Mdantsane were not attending school because of poverty, hunger and starvation. In response to the pandemic that department saw a need to intervene and it visited the school the same day the story broke in a bid to defeat poverty through sustainable food production.

Through its Siyazondla Homestead Gardens programme, which does not only emphasise the importance of food production but it is a social movement that builds unity among community to conquer poverty, the department intervened.

The intervention was realised on Wednesday when the MEC for Agriculture Gugile Nkwinti led departmental officials to deliver what it termed as “siyazondla kit” to the school and three families. The kit donated to the school included 10 spades, hoes, watering cans, fork spades, trowel and two wheelbarrows as well as a knapsack sprayer. The inputs included four times 500 g carrots seeds as well 800 g of spinach, beetroot, and cabbage, onion and green pepper seedlings. The families were given seven spades, rakes, fork spades; three wheelbarrows as well as 800 g each of cabbage, spinach, onion, and green pepper and beetroot seedlings.

The MEC hopes that this intervention will ensure that no child stays away from school because of hunger and starvation. The Siyazondla programme is “close to my heart”, the MEC stresses, and adding that he believed that the communities will use what government has given them. He called on the community of Mdantsane to join hands to fight poverty through the Siyazondla programme assuring that the department will help them with both advisory services and inputs and implements.

The MEC was happy that the school and the community had shown interest in his bid to help them fight poverty and he emphasised the importance of social cohesion and understanding.

For more information contact:
Senior communications officer
Thozi Manyisana
Tel: 040 609 3965
Cell: 073 2633 754.

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
23 October 2008