The Democratic Alliance councillors in the Overstrand have decided to donate a portion of their monthly salary to the local food bank fund.
This will be for a period of six months until June 2020 to assist the communities in the Overstrand.
The donation is in response to the nationwide call made by the president to donate to the National Solidarity Fund. DA constituency head of the Overstrand Masizole Mnqasela says that the councillors support this call and will ensure it is to the benefit of all people of SA regardless of race.
He said councillors will be donating 2% of their salaries for six months with the possibility to extend contributions by another four months if the lockdown is extended.
“The total contribution for the six month period amounts to just over R60 000 and this is representative of 18 Overstrand councillors, some of whom also serve in the Overberg District Municipality.”
Mnqasela added that the councillors have further decided to forfeit their annual salary increase of 4% for a three-month period between April and June 2020. “Putting this in perspective, this will amount to over a R100 000 donation by DA councillors. We hope that other parties will follow suit.”
According to Mnqasela this is a reasonable contribution given the disparities between salaries of local councillors compared to that of their counterparts in the Provincial and National Parliament.
The funds will be transferred to the local food bank fund for immediate food relief to the many people who are hungry and home bound.
“This comes after heightened requests from the community to provide more support to families that are running out of food,” Mnqasela said.
He said the DA councillors took a decision more than a decade ago to donate a portion of their monthly salaries towards community focused programmes. “We will now redirect these funds with the pressing need posed by the lockdown.”
