praag.co.uk

SUBJECT : LESS TALK AND MORE ACTION ON POVERTY

ISSUED BY : Dr. Pieter Mulder

CAPACITY : FF Plus Leader and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Vegetables, fruit, eggs and meat were distributed this weekend by the FF Plus to more than 2300 residents of the West Moot area in Pretoria as an early Christmas gift. The party did this with the help of farmers from the White River area in Mpumalanga. It was the largest food distribution effort in the history of the West Moot. A large number of residents of this area are living in temporary constructions and Wendy houses in other people’s back yards.

“Everybody talks about poverty but little is done about it. We should stop talking about love and caring for each other only around Christmas time but everyone should rather start doing something constructively within his/her own capabilities about poverty,” Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus Leader and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said as part of his Christmas message during this event.

Four trucks were used to transport more than 24 tons of food from White River in Mpumalanga to Pretoria. The food was donated by eight farmers who choose to remain anonymous. The FF Plus had under the leadership of Mr. Phillip van Staden, the party’s regional leader in Pretoria and Mrs. Jenny Schoeman from White River, organised and coordinated the effort. Dr. Mulder expressed his gratitude toward the relevant people.

“People so easily say that we can not work together in South Africa. Here is an example of how we worked together to the advantage of everyone involved,” Mulder said.

Caroline Bosch and Pieter Strydom as local artists from Pretoria entertained people for free while there had also been a clown to keep children busy.

By ten ‘o clock the last of the trucks had been off-loaded and it has taken up to three ‘o clock in the afternoon to share the food equally to the long queue of people.

“Donations such as this are unfortunately only a temporary solution for these people’s problems. Education, training and the scrapping of affirmative action are some of the solutions which could help these people on a permanent basis,” according to Dr. Mulder.

DR. PIETER MULDER

Contact no.: 082 674 6670 / 082 777 0202 / 082 472 0189