The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it rejects plans by the Gauteng Social Development Department to centralise food bank operations.

The party’s Refiloe Nt’sekhe says this will see food parcel distribution from the 288 Non-Profit Organisations (NPO) and the five regional food banks transferred to a central food bank. She says this is concerning because the department lacks the capacity to distribute food centrally.

Nt’sekhe adds that beneficiaries may not receive the food they need, leading to a sharp rise in food insecurity.

“MEC Faith Mazibuko wants to cancel the NPO’s distributing food in our communities and also close down the five regional food banks. What she’s in fact doing is taking services away from the people,” says Nt’sekhe.

She says NPOs operate closer to the people and understand the needs of the communities.

“They are faster to react when there’s a disaster or an emergency. Now she wants to take it all down and put it in one central food bank. She claims the regional food banks were about R2 million in rental costs, but she hasn’t given us how much she’s going to pay in logistic costs,” adds Nt’sekhe.