Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina has donated agricultural implements to the community of Mkhuze in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Deputy Minister also handed out Christmas hampers to elderly citizens and youth to the community which is under the Jozini Municipality which is largely dependent on agriculture.
The area has seen a rise in flight of economically active youth who migrate to far developed areas like Durban and Gauteng in search of job opportunities, leaving behind the elderly to care for school going children.
“It is as a result of the community’s dependence on subsistence agricultural activities that we took it upon ourselves to lend a helping hand to this community, so as to help uplift them into becoming better equipped with necessary equipment to enable them to produce substantial crops,” said Gina on Thursday.
She added that the pressures of hunger during the Christmas period tends to be felt more significantly, especially for orphans and senior citizens.
“It is for this reason that I have adopted a programme to support these families with basic food packs, seedlings and agricultural equipment as a form of encouragement to continue with food gardens.”
MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, Hlengiwe Mavimbela, Mkhanyakude District Mayor Solomon Mkhombo and Mayor of Jozini Municipality Delani Mabika and Provincial Legislature Chief Whip Super Zuma accompanied the Deputy Minister.