South Africa’s minister for Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, is looking to set up community based co-operatives to address the lack on jobs in the area of Motherwell, Port Elisabeth. The department has engaged with women in the area, majority of them unemployed single parents unable to provide for their families. Forming co-operatives can help them secure sustainable sources of income.
Speaking before the National Council of Provinces, the minister said: “The department has created a network of 166 Community Nutrition and Development Centres in targeted poor communities affected by high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. In return, these centres have created over 600 jobs. We will increase these centres to at least 200 in this financial year.”
The department is working to link food co-operatives with local businesses and it has so far connected 200 co-operatives to different ventures, including Community Nutrition Development Centres.
Photo: South Africa’s minister for Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini (c) Ministry for Social Development
