In an effort to provide for the vulnerable communities, Amadiba farmers from the coast of Amadiba in the Eastern Cape sold and donated surplus fresh produce to Durban’s markets following their large harvest and the recent civil unrest that has deepened hunger in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The farmers gathered 2,000 litres of fresh produce sweet potatoes, amadumbe, beans and oranges and were delivered to the Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) community north of Durban (Briardene).
The spokesperson of the Amadiba Crisis Committee, Nonhle Mbuthuma said: “Our villages in Xolobeni are aware of the support that AbM gave us ever since the murder of our late chair ‘Bazooka’ Sikhosiphi Rhadebe in March 2016. The donation is a payback for that support.”
An activist with Amadiba, Mzamo Dlamini, also commented and said, “The situation of not having food is one that Amadiba relates to as a result of climate instability. We do believe food donations may not necessarily solve the problem but will make a difference in the short term while they are finding ways to make themselves sustainable in the long term.”
The gesture from Amadiba farmers managed to reach a total of 280 homeless people. After receiving the donation, members of the Briardene community expressed their gratitude for the fresh produce.
While Zandile Nsibande a community member was giving a comment, she said, “Thanks for your support, comrades, you showed us that an injury to one is an injury to all.”
Nsibande continued: “Given that everything that belonged to us was consumed by fire, and without any fridges or electricity, the perishable food donated to us by other branches goes bad real quick, the fresh produce from Amadiba has made a difference in our lives.”
Another said that as most of the community members are homeless and unemployed, “Receiving the food donations has been a blessing to us, the people of Briardene. We live as a community and cook together for sustainability in these trying times to make sure no one goes hungry. The remaining food from Amadiba will last us until the weekend. Siyabonga!” said more community members who are homeless and unemployed.
