MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The commemoration of International World Food Day on Thursday, 24 October was initiated and hosted by the national Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The provincial Department of Agriculture, the Mossel Bay Municipality and other local roleplayers assisted with logistics.

Mossel Bay acting executive mayor, Councillor Dirk Kotzé, received and hosted the national Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Senzeni Zokwana and other dignitaries and welcomed them to the rural community of Brandwag outside Mossel Bay, where the commemoration was held.

The national Department of Agriculture sourced the food parcels from the various sponsors.

Some dissatisfaction was since voiced by members of the community who did not receive food parcels. The Mossel Bay Municipality sympathises with them, but wishes to state that it played no part in this process.

The Agriculture Department pre-selected the 401 households that received the food parcels.

Those beneficiaries were from the rural areas of Brandwag and Ruiterbos.

Acting mayor, Councillor Kotzé, said: "I wish to state categorically that the municipality, councillors or employees were in no way involved in identifying the 401 households.

"Furthermore, the municipality was not involved in distributing the food parcels as this was done by the national department which was responsible for the event.

"Given the need in our communities, personally I would have preferred more people to have benefited from the food parcels that were distributed. I trust that our communities will understand that the Mossel Bay Municipality had no control or influence in this," the acting mayor said.

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