According to the Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), Eastern Cape Province is the second-highest food insecure province with at least 33% of the population regarded as food insecure, just a little below North West province at 35%. The South African Human Rights Commission made an inquiry and pronounced on malnutrition in Eastern Cape, citing unemployment and lack of resources as a major contributing factor.

It is against this background that the Eastern Cape Provincial Government hosted a two-day Provincial Imbizo on Food and Nutrition Security at the East London ICC recently. This two-day session brought on board all sector departments and other key role players who play a significant role in either the production of food or the creation of access to available food, through the empowerment of vulnerable individuals, households and communities at large. The main purpose of the Imbizo was to find ways of implementing Food and Nutrition Security Plan for the Eastern Cape Province.

The plan was compiled through a participatory approach that bought key sector departments together in several roundtable discussions and bilateral engagements. A MixedMethod approach allowed for the collection of qualitative data through facilitation of discussions, and review of relevant documents from the various departments, including the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development (ECDSD), Office of the Premier (OTP), Department of Education (DoE), Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA). This approach was carried out following key principles of participatory research to stimulate knowledge production that leads to the creation of a provincial-based Food and Nutrition Security Plan that will be inclusive and contributed to be the key stakeholders within the province, be understood by all, and which capture and reflect the contextual realities of the province.

Ms Philile Ntuli from the South African Human Rights Commission said the Eastern Cape is one of the provinces that are characterised by poverty in South Africa .She said within the province, there are unequal levels of poverty based on rural location, race and gender.” Women are more susceptible to a problematic issue of malnutrition which is an outcome of food insecurity and is specifically prominent amongst young women of reproductive age who are victims of gender discrimination and marginalisation. Furthermore, women in rural areas are not included when making important decisions which inhibit them from food provisioning. ”She also said that access to food is an inalienable human right. Its availability does not automatically translate to its security. Even when food is available it may not be accessible to everyone who needs it and that which is accessible may not provide all the nutrients required to nourish the human body.

The Imbizo also elected the Provincial Food and Nutrition Coordinating Council which is going to work collaboratively with Non-Profit Organisations (NPO’s). This council will roll out the Food and Nutrition Security Plan which is the initiative of national government with the different provinces having their own customized for each province. NPO’s, as entities active in the agro-food production space, promote food production at community level. They profile communities and determine deficiencies where capacity building is needed to produce food and they also serve as charitable entities created for socially beneficial purposes with no intentions of making any profitable benefits. As resourceful government allies, they assist government to reach out to communities that may otherwise not be easily accessible

Department of Social Development HoD, Mzimkhulu Machemba indicated that this province is lagging behind other provinces in putting this plan in motion. This council will serve to fast-track the implementation of this plan. He said the provision and support for entrepreneurial initiatives and support for SMMEs must be in a manner that creates further employment and service as a wheel to stimulate the economy, which in turn will create more employment opportunities to absorb the unemployed.

Two hundred senior citizens from across the province converge at the East London International Convention Centre on 28 to 29 October 2024. The group attended the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development’s first annual two-day Older Persons Conference.

Older persons account for over a million citizens of the Eastern Cape population, and they face various challenges that threaten their rights and well-being. Through this groundbreaking conference the department amongst other things seeks to promote the rights of older persons, enhance their quality of life and create a discussion space for older persons to ventilate on issues affecting their daily lives. Additionally, the conference served as a platform to acknowledge the role older persons play in keeping families together and passing on valuable knowledge and skills to younger generations.

Nosipho Gcaza a 70-year-old widow from Nyandeni Local Municipality thanked the department for the initiative as she will take back what she learned at the conference to her fellow villagers. “There’s a lot of information I will report back for the benefit of my people, particularly the SASSA input” said Gcaza.

Speaking to attendees Honorable MEC Bukiwe Fanta reiterated the department’s commitment to the improvement of social wellbeing, prolonged life span, care and protection of older persons against any form of abuse through establishment of support structures. Furthermore, she encouraged older persons to participate in local older persons forums that are meant to advance their cause and afford them an opportunity to share their lived experiences. “Older persons forums must stand up and protect older persons as they are an extension of government in dealing with their challenges” concluded Fanta.

One of the Department funded Non-Profit Organisation, Sakhe Family Care (SFC), based in Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape, recently released their debut short film which highlights various social chellenges hoping to promote positive social and behavioral changes in within the youth and families at large in that area.

Sakhe Family Care Development Center offers marriage enrichment seminars, parenting skills workshops, educational community awareness campaigns, social and behavior change programs, skills training, job creation and enterprise development opportunities. Established in 2014, the organization has developed into a safe, inspiring and life-changing environment for both individuals and families.

To continue their work in the community, the organization recently released their first debut short film titled “ITHEMBA”. SFC founding director, Thanduxolo Buka says the vision behind the film is to act out what they teach learners in schools through their social behavioral programme. He says the organization is implementing an amassed range of Social Behavioral Progamme to address the risky behaviours and harmful social norms that are significant. The short film also highlights the key role that the organization plays in the community. Buka says the short film was written by two young people from Humansdorp and who are currently studying Bachelor of Arts at AFDA in Gqeberha. He says the film is based on a young man who has lost his mother and starts to experience behavioural changes that have been caused by his new environment. “We plan to develop the short film into a show with more episodes, where we will focus on other programmes that we offer. By doing this, our intention is to showcase what we do as an organisation and putting more emphasis on Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

Buka says they hope to shoot more episodes if they get funding for this initiative. “We continue to increase our efforts to extend our reach and transform the lives of many in our society.” Buka says the public is able to watch the film on their Youtube channe and they are also planning on doing a roadshow around the province to showcase their production

The Department of Social Development in collaboration with the Health and Welfare Sector Education Training Authority (HWSETA), recognised and honoured 312 Community Development Practitioner in a graduation ceremony that was held in East London.

The cohort benefited from a training and skills development partnership that targeted community development practitioners as well as assistant community development practitioners with relevant experience in community development but lacked qualification. On completion of the training participants received an NQF level 5 certificate in community development.

Community Development Practitioners play a significant role of improving the lives of poor and vulnerable communities through the provision of adequate services. Most beneficiaries of such services reside in impoverished rural and township communities who depend largely on community development programmes, including, but not limited to community dialogues, counselling, care, and support.

One of the graduates, Nandi Ntuli, from Sarah Baartman District, who has been unemployed for a decade before joining the programme, said, the qualification means a lot to her. “I have been unemployed for a period of ten (10) years. When this opportunity was presented, I grabbed it with both hands, knowing very well what it would do for me.” Ntuli says the Sarah Baartman District has an escalating rate of social ills, HIV/AIDS, and substance abuse. She says a collaborative approach with youth, parents and communities needs to be strengthened to decrease these social ills.

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said the department is committed in encouraging communities to participate in their own development. She said the department is strategically placed to advance the aspirations of the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalised group. “Given high levels of unemployment in the country which affects many South Africans, this ceremony will increase graduates’ chances of improving their lives and advance their career development through the acquired certificates”.

Other stakeholders who are part of this the RPL, include the HWSETA, Education Training Development Practice Sector Education Training Authority (ETDPSETA), and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) such as the universities of Western Cape, Free State and Johannesburg. Its primary purpose is to recognise the Community Development Practitioners who passed their Community Development Practice at NQF Level 5 at institutions of higher learning.

Nkosinathi Foundation of and for the Blind and Partially Sighted People in Gqeberha in Eastern Cape (EC), has consistently grown to become the biggest service provider to blind and partially sighted people in the Eastern Cape.

The Non Profit Organistaion (NPO), supported by the Department of Social Development, was founded by a group of dedicated blind people, who recognised the need for rehabilitation and adaptive skills services, as well as support for those who have recently lost their eyesight. The objective of the foundation, which has 1141 beneficiaries around the EC, is to raise awareness on eye care conditions and the importance of early intervention and also to raise awareness of resources available to blind and partially sighted people.

The foundation offers a wide range of services to blind and partially sighted people. One of those programmes is Employment Readiness Programme, supported by Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) with a duration of 10 months, where beneficiaries are taught Computer training, Braile Literacy training, CV writing skills, Job Interview Skills, Communication Skills at workplace and Adapted Computer Software skills. The trainees receive a monthly stipend of R2500 a month.

They also offer Blind Children Rehabilitation and Development programme to children between 0-7 years. This programme offers Hospital and Home visits to parents and children, counselling and suppport to parents, adapted daily living skills training and mobility training for children.

Loyiso Seyese, a partially blind Rehabilitation Consultant at the foundation and has been with the foundation for more than a decade, says they want to fully intergrate blind and partially sighted people to society. “The programmes we offer are specifically designed to accommodate our beneficiaries in such a manner that when they are fully independent, they be able to function and be not excluded due to their disability.” He says they not only support the blind and partially sighted, they also offer a hand to parents. “ We have a Bona Bantu Bag Skills Programme, where we teach parents (both sighted and visually impaired) of visually impaired children, sewing and entrepreneurial skills needed to begin their own sewing business. We offer them hand and sewing machine skills, personal finance management skills, Business basics, Introduction to Social Media for Business and Introduction to computers with adaptive software