Ward 36 councillor Nokuthula Bolitye surprised mothers at clinic 1 in Crossroads with food parcels for their babies on Friday June 21.
The ward councillor had asked for donations from shops in the area to help moms with babies nine months old and younger.
The more than 30 mothers who received the donations could not contain their joy and excitement.
Ms Bolitye said as someone who attends the clinic, she understands the overwhelming battles that some parents face. Many of the mothers who bring their babies to the clinic, she said, were unemployed and while a drop in the ocean, she hoped the donations would assist the women even just a little bit.
Ms Bolitye said the area faced many challenges, among them poverty, a high unemployment rate and crime. And she urged other local businesses to also find ways to make a difference in their communities.
She said the community had a role also to play in rewriting their history and creating a society that looked after each other. She said people often think that it was the role of the government and private sector to make a difference in the community forgetting that they themselves also had a role to play in uplifting one another. “I don’t do this because I want to be praised but because I want to make a difference in the community as a leader. I want to see change in my community.
“How we do things as leaders impacts the upcoming generation. We should leave a mark in our communities,” she said.
Excited mother, Nolubabalo Gwe, said food was expensive and at least for a week or so she would not have to buy any food. Ms Gwe thanked the ward councillor and urged her to continue with this initiative.