DEPUTY Executive Mayor Thsonono Buyeye recently accepted 500 food vouchers on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro from the local ports of Port Elizabeth and Ngqura.
These vouchers will be handed over to community beneficiaries to provide support and relief as the country struggles to cope with the impacts of COVID-19.
Port Manager at the Port of PE, Rajesh Dana said, “As the NMB Ports we are alive to the continuous impact that the pandemic has had, not only on the country, but on the people of our beloved metro. Whilst the restrictions that have been implemented have done a great deal in saving lives and curbing the spread of the virus, we cannot ignore the dire impact that they have had on the livelihoods of so many.
“These vouchers are therefore our small way of contributing to the daily lives of our most impacted and vulnerable residents and we truly hope that they provide some much-needed relief to those that will benefit from them.”
He said the food vouchers would be directed at child headed households, the elderly and the physically challenged. A number of municipal offices and facilities in the targeted areas have been identified as the locations to which the beneficiaries will receive these vouchers in the coming week.
Buyeye said municipality was touched by the donation, which “comes at a time when the City is at its lowest in terms of our economy. The COVID-19 pandemic not only cost us lives, it has ravaged our economy, which has led to many breadwinners losing their jobs. This welcome donation by TNPA will go a long way in making sure that many local families can put food on the table, more especially at a time when children are expected to go back to school”.
