Buddies spent Women’s Day serving others

Instead of being pampered and enjoying the celebrations that come with Women’s Day (9 August), two local pals decided to spread love to the less fortunate in the area.

The duo, Ntombi Menoe and Mpho Tshabalala, the wife of late Kwaito legend Mduduzi Tshabalala, affectionately known as Mandoza, visited Plot 323 in Wilgespruit with cars full of food and clothes to feed and provide warmth to the entire community of needy tent-dwellers.

In partnership with leadership of Ikemeleng, the friends hosted a soup kitchen which saw the young and the old indulging in the nourishing warm soup and fresh bread that morning.

The pals spoke about this outreach initiative. “We usually host soup kitchens in townships such as Soweto, but this time around we decided to look around in our residential precinct to host one that would benefit the local community,” said Ntombi.

These Good Samaritans thanked Bongi Shongwe, an Ikemeleng stakeholder, who notified them about this woeful plot.

“I live in Ruimsig, but I didn’t even know that there are people who stay in tents, especially in 2019,” Ntombi lamented, also alluding to the fact that living in a shack is better than living in a tent.

She explained that they also partnered with the Department of Social Services, which provided food packs for the dwellers.

Having established the extent of the residents’ plight, Mpho said their visit was just the beginning … She also mentioned the clothes they had donated. “We collected clothes from friends and families as a gesture to say that we understand their challenges. Although this was just a start, we made sure we shared what we were able to come up with,” she explained.

Ntombi weighed in to say that giving has always been part of her culture since her upbringing in Dobsonville, so it was nothing new to her.

The buddies also brought their children along, to give them another perspective on life. “I had to bring my little one here so that she can understand how other people live and that she should consider herself lucky to have the little that she has,” Ntombi said.

Mpho, who also runs the Mandoza Foundation, an initiative which she founded to assist less fortunate cancer survivors with social needs, especially in townships, couldn’t help but raise her concern about the health risks on the plot. “When you see a place like this, you have to wonder whether there is a local clinic for them, or if they even consider going for check-ups,” she said.

However, she said part of her remedy for the situation will be to try and get a mobile clinic to come and provide services.

The leadership of Ikemeng said they greatly appreciated the help received, and Bongi said they are taking the future one step at a time. “The Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, is taking this matter very seriously, and hopefully something will happen,” an optimistic Bongi said.