Cape Town - For the 10 women operating the Siyakhula soup kitchen in Europe, Gugulethu it has been a struggle having to cook and deliver the food, but with the donated bikes this would ensure that the food reached the frail and the disabled on time.
Premier Alan Winde and David Bellairs from Pedals for Peace delivered the bicycles to the kitchen on Thursday, which simultaneously aims to empower the women who work there.
Founder Zodumo Duli-Mkinase said the old and disabled people were not able to stand in the queues and as a result after dishing they had to walk to deliver to them.
“This is especially difficult in the morning because we serve porridge at 6am and it has not been easier for us because we had to carry one delivery, come again and fetch for someone else.
“With these bicycles its going to be easy because we are going to fit a crate for the lunch boxes which would able to deliver for more people in one street.
“We have youngsters that would ride and deliver with the bikes,” she said.
Winde said there was a need for more people on bicycles delivering meals or using it as a mode of transport.
“We need cost effective ways of transportation and I cant think of a better time to provide cycling than right now with the fuel price increase.
“The increase are going to affect prices of food, taxi fees, the inflation and the poorest are going to be the most affected.
“I am happy that this is happening and I would like to monitor it and get a report back and if its working well to see how do we ensure that it is happening in more places,” said Winde.
Bellairs said they were cognisant of the fact that there were many communities where transport was an issue.
“When the premier called me it was a pleasure to be able to find new bikes complete with pumps, spare parts and helmets that we could allocate.
“The Afrikaburn festival was cancelled last year and people had already bought their bikes and had donated them and we just had to find the right people that were doing fantastic work to give those bikes,” he said.
I had the privilege to hand over four bicycles to Betty & her team at the Siyakhula Europe Community Soup Kitchen in Gugulethu. Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing for the people in need in your community, and a big thanks to #PedalsForPeace for this generous donation. pic.twitter.com/EcIEq3nHTk
#ICYMI I visited the Siyakhula Europe Community Kitchen in Gugulethu yesterday, where myself and the team at #PedalsForPeace handed over four bicycles to the kitchen, which will help them to reach the people they serve more easily🙏 pic.twitter.com/158rFZRVtf
— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) November 5, 2021
mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za