Durban pensioners urged to await food voucher updates from ward councillors
Needy pensioners in Durban are waiting for food vouchers from the eThekwini Municipality.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers.
Needy Durban pensioners who are eagerly waiting for the food vouchers provided by the eThekwini Municipality have been urged to await formal communication from ward councillors about their distribution.
The food vouchers are provided to senior citizens by the eThekwini Municipality during the festive season. Municipality Speaker Thabani Nyawose has previously said ward councillors will select senior citizens within their communities based on their needs.
The DA in eThekwini Municipality said in a recent statement that some of its ward councillors had been inundated with requests and pleas from pensioners about the rollout of the vouchers.
Yogis Govender, DA eThekwini EXCO member said: “At present, the Speaker’s Office has not committed to any specific date for the commencement of the voucher distribution.”
She added that each ward councillor operates independently, using their own systems and methods to manage the distribution process.
“Councillors will only make public announcements regarding distribution once they have received official communication and confirmation from the Speaker’s Office.
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“We urge residents to remain patient and await formal updates from their local ward councillors. The DA remains committed to supporting senior citizens, and every effort will be made to ensure the process is as smooth and transparent as possible.”
The Competition Commission's Cost of Living Report, which was recently released, found that South African households, particularly lower-income groups, are bearing the brunt of rising living costs.
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It found that over the five-year period, electricity prices increased by 68% and water prices went up by 50% which is a much higher rate than general inflation which increased by 28%.