The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) government has received food relief from the Solidarity Fund, aimed at assisting families living below the breadline and to aid rebuilding efforts following the damage from the unrest that rocked the country in July.

KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala, who was accompanied by Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza, said that the Solidarity Fund established a Humanitarian Crisis Relief Fund to provide immediate food relief to a number of affected households in the province.

“We are deeply grateful for this donation of food relief facilitated by the Solidarity Fund. The widespread economic sabotage that targeted trucks, factories, warehouses and malls, [has] destroyed people's livelihoods and left thousands jobless. This came at a time when South Africa was already facing high levels of hunger and economic hardship since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The food aid represents seeds of faith and our collective gratitude goes out to all who have thrown this lifeline to our most desperate people,” Zikalala said.

He noted that the KZN government was mobilising its resources, institutions and policy instruments to ensure that the province overcomes the effects of the pandemic and the unrest.

The KZN Economic Reconstruction and Transformation Plan is assisting job creation in the province through localisation, industrialisation, agricultural support, and small, medium-sized and microenterprise development.

“While we do not underestimate the scope and scale of the challenges facing our nation, we must also have faith that we have a corresponding capacity in State, civil society and the private sector to take on those challenges,” said Zikalala.

Through the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, various measures are in place to enable businesses to get back to full capacity.

The KZN government also has a special focus on enriching the youth through agricultural skills. 

Zikalala said the province was keen to engage tertiary institutions on urgent attention to building critical skills in agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in partnership with the Human Settlements Department, has a longstanding ‘One Home, One Garden Garden’ campaign, which encourages citizens to start their own vegetable gardens to grow their own food. The Department of Education has looked to extend the programme to schools. 

Meanwhile, programmes such as the Township Reconstruction Strategy will prioritise businesses in villages and townships, and through Ithala Bank, the KZN government seeks to protect enterprises throughout communities that were affected by the civil unrest.