The poor white communities of Odendaalsrus, Welkom and Ventersburg were generously blessed on Tuesday morning when the Lejweleputswa District Municipality donated tonnes of food parcels and blankets to them.

“This visit has been embarked upon because these communities have been identified as communities that are in dire need of the government’s assistance. Together with the food and blankets that we are giving our people, we are also being accompanied by the South African Social Service Agency (SASSA), the department of home affairs, as well as the health department,” said executive mayor of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality, Mathabo Leeto.

She said it had come to the municipality’s attention that these communities did not have proper documentation to register and qualify for government’s social assistance and services such as housing.

“Our aim with this visit is to have all races realise that they have equal rights and opportunities in this democratic government and to preach self-reliance just as we do in black disadvantaged communities.

“Today we are bringing to them all these different departments to enable them to access government and the services it offers. Our main goal is for them to move out of their current circumstances and live in their own homes allocated to them by government. We understand that most of them cannot even afford rent at their current accommodation,” said Leeto.

One of the communities that were visited is a block of 24 houses called Sewende Laan, which is owned by the Harmony Mining Group, where residents are asked to pay between R 500 and R 800 per month.

“Both me and my partner are currently unemployed and have been staying at Sewende Laan for almost ten years with our two children. The conditions here are very dire but this is all we can afford. We are very happy that government has visited us. We have been struggling to apply for identity documentation as well as grants for our children,” said Annelie van Niekerk (26).

She said the first thing she would do is register to qualify for government housing.

“My children are still very small, and I don’t want them to grow up here. We live so far away from town and civilisation. I want them to have hope for a better future.”

The Matjhabeng Local Municipality also contributed with vegetables and transport for some of the communities.

“We would like to emphasise the fact that this is a non-racial government that seeks to provide and care for all races,” said Dora Coetzee of the Matjhabeng Local Municipality.

She added that one of the main objectives of government is to fight poverty and initiatives such as this one will assist in achieving that objective.