Page 5 - 21 November 2025

THE REPORTER 21 NOVEMBER 2025 · PAGE 5

its own offices, how can it
protect vulnerable families?
Premier Oscar Mabuyane, in
response to a parliamentary
The sight of Gift of the Givers child lost, there are question from the DA,
joining forces with the hundreds more who go to admitted that only 5% of
Department of Social bed hungry. affected communities are
Development to hand out The Democratic Alliance being reached by these
food parcels during the believes this tragedy is not interventions. In his own
Provincial Children's Day inevitable. It is the direct w o r d s , c o v e r a g e i s
event this past weekend result of weak leadership and “unfortunately low”.
should have been a moment misplaced priorities. That admission alone
of hope. Instead, it was a exposes the scale of
stark reminder of how far the The Department of Social government's neglect. In a
Eastern Cape government Development has confirmed province where children are
has fallen behind in that food relief in the dying of hunger, saying you
protecting its children. When province is limited to just are reaching one in twenty
civil society steps in to do the three parcels per household families is an admission of
work the government should per year. At the same time, failure.
be doing, it exposes not 28% of departmental offices
compassion, but failure. are in a poor or very poor The province has the
condition, and 35% are authority and resources to
Across our province, parents act. It can declare a
are watching their children overcrowded. Staff are provincial disaster for
fade from hunger while struggling to work effectively hunger and malnutrition and
provincial leaders issue in dilapidated buildings, coordinate a rapid response
reports and excuses. Seventy without clear timelines for across departments. It can
children have already died repairs. redirect wasteful spending to
f r o m s t a r v a t i o n a n d When the department expand the School Nutrition
malnutrition in the first six responsible for social Programme, establish
months of this year. For every protection cannot maintain
community feeding centres,
and ensure that early-
childhood development
facilities include proper
nutrition support.
Kortstraat 18
It can publish regular, Burgersdorp, 9744
transparent updates so
communities know whether Call: 082 261 9642
progress is being made.
The people of the Eastern
Cape are not asking for
luxury. They are asking for
food, for fairness, for a
government that values the
lives of children above the
comfort of politicians.
Civil-society organisations
can help, and we are
extremely thankful that they
do, but they cannot replace C.J. Scholes & Son
the duty of the state.
Funeral Directors
The Democratic Alliance will
continue to fight for
accountability, urgency and Caring ~Professional ~Dignified ~ Funerals ~Cremations
compassion in the face of
this growing tragedy. The For assistance or advice
people of the Eastern Cape TRAVIS SCHOLES
deserve leadership that
delivers, and a future built on Telephone 043 683 2981 or 072 447 0940
dignity, opportunity and Serving the Eastern Cape since 1987
ADVERT SPONSORED BY THE REPORTER
honest government.