DA Youth in Joburg South hosts soup kitchen

DA Youth in Joburg South hosts soup kitchen

Sixteen June was celebrated by the DA Youth of Johannesburg South by demonstrating that the youth care for those less privileged. The DA Youth hosted a soup kitchen in the Joburg CBD where people who would otherwise have spent Youth day hungry got some freshly made soup and bread.

Accompanying the young people were members of DAWN (Democratic Alliance Women’ Network) and local councillors who assisted in the feeding of about 700 people. “I am blown over with our young people and their original way of acknowledging Youth day,” said Joburg South Member of Parliament Manny de Freitas.

De Freitas said that a large percentage of young people want nothing more than to earn a decent living so that they too can earn their keep and also contribute towards the economic growth of the country. “Ironically, this soup kitchen reinforces the much needed Youth Wage Subsidy which we proposed over 10 years ago,” explained de Freitas.

De Freitas said that everyone supports the Youth Wage Subsidy which has been budgeted for by government and supported by all political parties including the ANC. “It is only Cosatu that has stalled the implementation process at Nedlac,” said de Freitas. De Freitas that the DA as well as the DA Youth would continue fighting for the Youth Wage Subsidy to be implemented just as it has been successfully done in the Western Cape.

De Freitas said that the Youth have a clear vision to honour our past and own our future. “The soup kitchen is a clear demonstration of that,” concluded Manny de Freitas MP

De Freitas and DA Youth hands over books to Meredale Primary School

De Freitas and DA Youth hands over books to Meredale Primary School

At a recent visit to Meredale Primary School by Manny de Freitas, Member of Parliament for Johannesburg South found that the school Media Centre lacked books for the few hundred primary school children. “We immediately looked around for sponsors so that we could assist the school in obtaining the much needed books,” explained Manny de Freitas. De Freitas said that in conjunction with the kind cooperation of Rotary International the DA and the DA Youth were able to obtain 200 books for Meredale Primary School.

“The DA Youth wanted to do something for the school as part of their Youth month activities and so helped with finding the books for the school,” said Manny de Freitas MP. Manny de Freitas said that it is common knowledge that he rates education as very important so that our country can develop in every way. “Without educating our children and young people properly we cannot grow economically as a country and create employment,” said de Freitas. De Freitas said that this is why gestures such as these are vital in contributing in solving our education crises.

“New and up-to-date books such as these will assist these young people and also encourage them to read so that they have a good foundation at Primary school level before getting to High School and any other further education,” said Manny de Freitas.

De Freitas that the fact that our DA Youth saw it fit to share his passion and vision for education is even more encouraging.  

We need to remember International Cancer survivor’s day

The 03^rd of June marked International Cancer Survivor’s Day.  This is an important day for CANSA as this is also a day that we honour and acknowledge all persons who have won the battle against cancer.  On this day, and indeed every day, we celebrate hope and life with survivors and their families.  This is a day of hope, support and nurturing.

This mission of CANSA is to empower survivors to fight back when they are experiencing the cancer journey.  The reality is that more and more people are surviving cancer mainly due to early diagnosis and increasingly better treatment.

Cancer sees no creed, race, socio-economic position or gender.  Anyone could be affected.  Each and every one of us has a duty to serve in a supportive role as we discover better treatments and advances in medicine in this field.

I encourage everyone to call on their local CANSA office and to make a contribution to this important fight.

World No Tobacco Day is an opportunity for us all

The 31^st of May marked International World No Tobacco Day.  This is a day especially put aside to highlight the dangers of tobacco.  Cancers such as certain lung cancers can be prevented if individuals stop certain practices such as smoking cigarettes, cigars and the concerning and growing trend amongst young people, the smoking of the “hubbly bubbly”.

Education & awareness programmes are vital in making people aware of the potential dangers of tobacco.  CANSA will continue rolling and running such programmes & campaigns throughout our Unit, which includes the Provinces of North West, Gauteng & Limpopo.

Although this day marked a special day against tobacco, CANSA runs anti-tobacco programmes throughout the year.  It continues to reach thousands of people, in particular in communities that would otherwise not receive this information.

Let’s together use not only tomorrow but every day to make others aware of the dangers of tobacco.

Annual Fatima pilgrimage more successful than ever anticipated

The annual Fatima pilgrimage which took place on Saturday, 12 May 2012 proved to be more successful than anticipated and surpassed target pilgrims set. A target of 1500 pilgrims was set as a target for this year’s pilgrimage as last year 1200 pilgrims participated in the pilgrimage. However some 2200 pilgrims walked the pilgrimage this year. This is truly amazing and exciting as the messages of Fatima are spread wider.

There is no doubt that the heightened media coverage of this event, not just in the Catholic media but also in secular media assisted in awareness of this pilgrimage. It was clear that there were many first time pilgrims this year. Thanks to Radio Veritas that now reaches a broader audience on Medium Wave we were able to reach more people. The assistance and support of the Portuguese media can also not go unnoticed as they too extensively published and supplied information on the pilgrimage.  

This pilgrimage is the sixth that has taken place in succession with the first pilgrimage that took place in 1991 with only 80 pilgrims led by the parish youth group at the time. The pilgrimage on foot celebrates the apparitions of Our Lady to three shepherd children in the hamlet of Fatima in Portugal.

On the 13^th of May 1917 the Mother of Jesus, our Lady, first appeared to three poor shepherd children. During these apparitions, that took place over the next 6 months, our Lady under the title of “Our Lady Queen of the Rosary”, appealed for prayer, especially by praying the Rosary and conversion and peace in the world.

Since these apparitions, millions of people have changed their lives positively and come to practice the messages of Fatima. Because these apparitions took place in Portugal, the Portuguese have a special devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. The Portuguese community is one of the largest immigrant communities in South Africa and are predominately Catholic.  

This pilgrimage commences at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, in Malvern East, Johannesburg and ends, after a four kilometer walked pilgrimage when the rosary is prayed, with Holy Mass at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Bedfordview, Ekurhuleni.

Closure of Maitland Refugee Reception office a potential for court action

The announcement by the Department of Home Affairs that after the closure of its Refugee Reception Centre in Maitland in Cape Town that “new applicants will be directed to other Refugee Reception Offices to submit their applications” goes against the precedent previously set by the courts.

In the judgment in the case of when the Refugee Reception office in Port Elizabeth was closed, the courts ordered the Department of Home Affairs to provide all services as is required in legislation within the Refugees Act.

The Maitland Refugee Reception Office in Cape Town will close at the end of this month. The Home Affairs department announced that services rendered to asylum seekers and refugees from the Maitland Refugee Reception Office in Cape Town will, from the end of the month, be rendered from Customs House on the Foreshore in Cape Town.

It appears that the Home Affairs Minister and her department simply has not learnt from its past experiences and appears to ignore court judgments that it has an obligation to respect.

Minister Nkosasana Zuma has shown contempt for the Public Protector when her department simply ignored a deadline set by the Public Protector on a probe by Advocate Thuli Madonsela’s office.

This investigation concerned allegations of abuse of power and maladministration by the Department of Home Affairs in respect of applications for work, residence and study permits. The Minister had until the 24^th of May 2012 to respond and meet the recommendations made in the report. To date, she has still not responded to this report.

It appears that contempt is also shown to the courts and our legal system with and an announcement made by the Department of Home Affairs they are repeating what they did when they closed the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office – by directing new applicants to other Reception Offices.

I will be asking questions of the Minister in this regard, tabling a motion in Parliament on this matter, as well as writing to the Minister in this regard.