Motherwell soup kitchen finally bullish about the future

Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new kitchen-container at the Good Samaritan church food garden were, from left, Ward 53 councillor Zwelandile Tsotso, Unilever Foods executive director Janine van Rooyen, church warden Fezeka Tsotso, SPAR EC

Volunteers who have endured endless hardship while trying to feed the hungry residents of Motherwell finally received the support they deserve.

Thanks to a partnership between SPAR Eastern Cape and Unilever Foods the Good Samaritan church in Ward 53, which runs the soup kitchen, was donated a brand-new container to be used in the preparation of meals.

The companies also announced at the Mandela Day function that they would invest in the church’s food garden which, despite the volunteers’ best efforts, had not produced as hoped.

They grow spinach, cabbage, spring onions and beetroot but struggle to produce enough to feed everyone.

According to cook Nomlingo Matiwane they only manage to prepare “mealie meal with some vegetables” on Mondays and Fridays.

Warden Fezeka Tsotso, simply known as Mam’Tsotso, said the family retailer and Unilever, through its Knorrox brand’s We Give a Bull campaign, joined its plight after the church reached out to the corporate sector for assistance.

“They have given hope and dignity to our community. We are so grateful; from the bottom of our hearts. It’s touched my heart so deeply.

“People of this area are poor and sometimes they sleep with nothing in their stomachs.”

The congregation, which is a branch of the St Matthias Anglican Church, has used its own funds to feed the hungry since 2015.

“We had to stop for a while because we didn’t have the money,” Mam’Tsotso explained. “But, when we saw the need [in the community], we started it again in 2022.”

The handover event was attended by the minister for planning, monitoring and evaluation Maropene Ramakgopa, Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Babalwa Lobishe and Unilever executive director Janine van Rooyen.

Radio personality Mafa Bavuma emceed the ceremony, which included song and dance performances by Ikusasa Arts Development and various youth groups.

SPAR EC advertising manager Roseann Shadrach said the company always tried to improve access to nutritious food in the communities it served.

“It’s not just about eating. It’s about staying healthy, focused, nourished and strong.

“We, too, ‘give a bull’ and, together, we share a commitment to feeding our nation.”

Shadrach said real change started at the roots, “literally”, which is why it supported the food garden.

“These aren’t just patches of soil – they are community-powered solutions to hunger, poverty and poor nutrition.”

She added that the garden meant the community would own their fresh produce and therefore it reduced their dependence on aid.

“A food parcel can feed a family for a week but a food garden can feed a community for a lifetime.”

Knorrox marketing manager Thobeka Goba explained that the We Give a Bull campaign was about tangible action and the legacy it wanted to leave in the hearts and homes of South Africans.

“This soup kitchen is more than bricks and pots; it’s a living symbol of how we want to nourish the community’s purpose,” she said.

“It is a beacon of resilience and we will continue to draw inspiration from people like Mam’Tsotso.”