Executive Mayor Bahula calls for establishment of cooperatives
MATLALA RAMOSHEBO/MARBLE HALL/MABITSI – Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) Executive Mayor, Minah Bahula, has called on communities to establish cooperatives to combat poverty and hunger in the region.
Executive Mayor Bahula urged for the establishment of the cooperatives, such as crop farming, stressing that government alone cannot sustain the delivery of food to the needy and destitute families.
Bahula emphasised on the need to encourage and teach communities to work together and form their own initiatives that will bring about change in their lives.
Speaking during the district municipality’s food hamper and blankets distribution drive at the Marble Hall Town Hall on Tuesday, 6 August, alongside Mayor Given Moimana and several other councillors, Bahula said they fully understand their core mandate and function as the institution, of providing water and sanitation, but could not close their eyes and ignore other real challenges faced by their communities.
She further called on businesses to work with the municipality, emphasising the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving sustainable development and addressing the socio-economic challenges faced by the district.
The food hamper drive programme on Tuesday, 6 August, covered Boikgafo Old Age Centre in Matlala Ramoshebo with 40 elderly members within Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality’s ward 5, Ralokanang Old Age Centre with 49 members and Bakone Disability Centre in Mabitsi Village, ward 12. Over a 100 needy families benefitted from the drive.
Sarah Magolego, founder of Boikgafo Old Age Centre in Matlala Ramoshebo, thanked government for heeding their request for help.
Magolego said the initiative showed that government cares for its people and encouraged the municipality to reach out to more of those in need of help.
Her sentiments were echoed by Ralokanang Old Age Centre and Bakone Disability Centre in Mabitsi Village who expressed their delight over receipt of the gifts.
