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An elderly, disabled woman was given groceries collected by Bitou’s female staff, who were spurred to action after an International Women’s Day prayer meeting.

A contingent of municipal officials, community development workers and an NGO visited the 66-year-old woman, who lives alone in a dilapidated shack in Kurland. She does not even remember what happened to her artificial leg.

Including in the visit were Deputy Executive Mayor Monica Seyisi; gender development officer, Sylvia Mtshamba; chairperson of the Bitou Women’s Forum, Venus Cunningham; and community development workers of the Crags/Kurland area.

Bitou Municipality’s female councillors and employees had initially gathered for a prayer meeting on International Women’s Day, 8 March, in the Council Chamber. Here they decided to collect money to buy something and donate it to the elderly woman.

She has no income because her state pension was stopped. The community development workers are following up with the relevant authorities in an attempt to get her pension payments reinstated. And Bitou staff members are helping to build a proper dwelling for her which will be furnished through goods donated, says Mtshamba.