Food crises remains a concern in Cape Town.

Food crises remains a concern in Cape Town. 

 By Lisalee Solomons

                                              Picture Sourced: Lisalee Solomons, Cape Town 

Since COVID19 hit the world globally, its no secret that many have had to resort to desperate measures in order to get food in their house considering that the lockdown period has caused many to lose their jobs. Some have now taken up the task of planting their own fruit and vegetables in their back garden instead of waiting for government to finally wake up and realise the hunger crises we faced with.

 Food is a necessity! It is what is needed to make many of us function throughout the day. It should not be normal to see pensioners or young kids standing in long queues to get food for themselves during the day. We’ve seen a lot of this on our tv screens during the lockdown of many people in Cape town standing outside shelters with their own bakkies or plates waiting for food handouts from people and organisations that have taken it upon themselves to feed the nation one plate at a time. It leaves a bitter taste in one’s mouth having to see images of adults and young children bracing the extreme cold or hot weather to queue as early as possible to get these food parcels. 

                                            Picture Sourced: Lisalee Solomons, Cape Town. 

 In Cape Town, South Africa there are many food stalls on the bus terminus, taxi ranks and train stations to name a few that sell loose fruit and vegetables, vetkoek, sweets, chips and cooldrinks to name a few just to make ends meet, but during the lockdown they have been unable to sell their products. These items are sold to members of the public at decent prices per unit to make a living for themselves so that they can put food on their table for their own family. We have seen more homeless people with little children begging at robots or coming to knock directly on house doors not asking for the usual spare change but asking for food even stale bread a homeless male once asked. 

                                       Picture sourced: Lisalee Solomons, Cape Town. 

 The media holds power in spreading awareness and proving knowledge to which we can attest to when government set aside money to assist those that needed food parcels as well as a covid19 relief funding scheme for those that are unemployed to which helped those that have been able to get it, others were not so lucky in receiving any of those. The covid19 food crises gave an enormous rise to entrepreneurs starting small vegetable and fruit businesses and saw this as an opportunity to help their families survive whilst helping those in need of food. 

 The media and its journalists must continue to shine the spotlight on the food crises in Cape Town.

 

Ends/450 words.