Social Development
Question by:
Hon Fransie Kamfer
Answered by:
Hon Jaco Londt
Question Number:
21
Question Body:
Given the increasing financial pressure facing pensioners in Cape Town due to the rising cost of food and basic necessities:
- What interventions has his Department implemented to support elderly residents experiencing food insecurity and economic hardship;
- whether his Department has considered expanding (a) food relief and (b) social support programmes targeted specifically at pensioners; if so, what are the relevant details?
Answer Body:
- In response to persistent household food insecurity and in alignment with the national Food and Nutrition Security Strategy, the Department through the Sustainable Livelihoods Programme continues to prioritise and explore expansion opportunities to expand coverage in areas found to have high levels of food insecurity and poverty. In addition, the Department funds Older Persons Service Centres to provide nutrition to vulnerable older persons in all districts of the province, and old age homes are funded to provide residential care, including all food requirements, to vulnerable older persons.
- Expansion priorities are guided by the provincial hunger and food insecurity indicators through monitoring and assessment of the data collection instruments such as the General Household Survey (GHS), quarterly Non-Financial Data (NFD) from Funded NPOs-CNDCs on the number of beneficiaries accessing food relief services and Regional Referrals of persons experiencing undue hardship and in need of food relief services. Expansion will be pursued subject to budget availability and resource mobilisation, including partnerships with municipalities, the private sector and NPOs to strengthen community -based food insecurity interventions, as well as further expansion of funding to older persons service centres and old age homes.
Date:
Friday, June 5, 2026
