'The need is massive,' say donors as 3km Centurion food queue shocks SA

Residents of Mooiplaas and Spruit informal settlements in Centurion, north of Johannesburg, came out in numbers to collect food hampers on Wednesday, forming a queue 3km long.

While 8,000 food hampers were handed out, this is just a drop in the ocean, said social activist Yusuf Abramjee.

“The need for food is massive. More than 80% of this community are foreigners and they have not received any help from government. We are happy we made a small difference,” he said.

The initiative was made possible by the Tshwane Muslim Community and the Sutherland Ridge, Ikon Park and Westhills business communities.

Video footage of the queue caught the attention of Peter Hain, a British politician and former anti-apartheid activist, who raised the need for humanitarian aid.

“It shows this thing hasn’t even started, because if that video is outside the richest city in the richest country in Africa, just imagine what could be even now creeping up on the rest of the continent. And where is UK, EU, US aid? Nowhere!” he tweeted.

Asgar Akoob of the United Muslim Forum said more work needed to be done.

“The lockdown is far from over and hunger is growing by the day. Let’s continue to make a difference wherever we can,” he said.

Business leader Smiley Essa said while thousands of people were guaranteed to have a meal after the donations, more was required.

“We are looking at ways of expanding the aid over the coming days to neighbouring areas,” he said.

The donors expressed gratitude to the Gauteng social development department, the city of Tshwane and law enforcers who approved the distribution, in line with a new directive that distribution should be co-ordinated and approved.

Scores of police, soldiers and metro police officers have been in attendance since the start of the distribution.