The Gauteng Department of Social Work withdrew the guidelines on the distribution of food donations on Thursday.
Panyaza Lesufi, temporary MEC for social development in the province, said in a statement that the decision was made after receiving several complaints that these regulations make it difficult for organizations to distribute food to those in need.
However, according to the department, the withdrawal does not hinder anyone from working with the department to distribute food.
Initially, regulations required that all food be dropped off at central points of the department so that the department could exercise control over its distribution.
The charity Solidarity Helping Hand welcomed this new announcement.
Hannes Noëth, executive director of Solidarity Helping Hand, says the organization is delighted with the apparent withdrawal of the planned guidelines.
“From the beginning, Helping Hand said that the guidelines and measures cannot be legal and that Helping Hand’s way of working is legal and in accordance with safety and health regulations. Non-governmental organizations should be legally allowed to do what they have to do without being opposed, ”Noëth said.
“From the beginning, Helping Hand kicked against Lesufi’s guidelines and the withdrawal of the regulations shows that we did the right thing.”
