Johannesburg - Communications Deputy Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on Friday conducted a community engagement in Diepsloot, Johannesburg, as part of National Imbizo Focus Week.
“We picked Diepsloot because of its high rate of unemployment, crime, drug abuse and … child offenders,” the Deputy Minister told SAnews.
She said while some residents may not have hope, they visited the area to say government is their hope.
The Deputy Minister kicked off the imbizo at the Bona Lesedi Centre, which rehabilitates people with disabilities. Among the services offered at the centre is a day care and learning for people with physical and mental disabilities.
The centre is a non-profit organisation (NPO). It has been in existence for 15 years and was started in response to the needs of people with disabilities.
Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams said the visit to the centre had touched her deeply.
“People are committed to the centre, whether there’s a salary or not. They are not giving up,” she said.
The Deputy Minister also visited the homes of two senior citizens.
She handed out blankets to 88-year-old Gogo Margaret Rakobane, who shares her shack with two daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Gogo Rakobane originally hails from the North West and her family is reliant on old age grants.
The Deputy Minister also gave Gogo Rakobane vegetables. She also visited Gogo Hambile Vitani and her family to give them blankets and vegetables. The elderly woman shares her home with her stepsons and does not have children of her own.
Gogo Vitani, a resident of Extension 2, said she was happy to have received the gifts from the Deputy Minister.
Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams hosted a Christmas lunch for the elderly at the Diepsloot Development Centre.
“We can’t leave Diepsloot without wishing the elderly a Merry Christmas,” she said.
Deputy Director General at Government Communication and Information System (GCSI), Nebo Legoabe, said the lunch was hosted to celebrate and honour the elderly.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to Diepsloot formed part of the weeklong National Imbizo Focus Week, which kicked off on 30 November. During the focus week, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are engaging with communities as well as providing an update to communities on government’s implementation of the Nine-Point Plan towards igniting economic growth and creating jobs.
The Imbizo Week will conclude on Sunday.
“At the end of the campaign, we would like to see that people of South Africa are part of the solution, and that they know their rights and responsibilities.”
The Imbizo Focus Week also coincides with the commemoration of 16 Days of Activism for no Violence against Women and Children. – SAnews.gov.za
