Premier Sisi Ntombela celebrated World Food Day with the non-profit organisation Meals on Wheels Community Services South Africa on Friday 21 October 2022.

Ntombela further said the shocking statistics of teenage pregnancies amongst young girls were a reflection of a society where poverty pushed young girls into engaging in sexual relations with men older than them.

"This issue must be addressed because our girl children are at the mercy of men who want to satisfy their sexual desires, but destroy the future of our children in the process. I am sure that by working together, we cannot only help end poverty, but also address the underlying societal issues which confront us.

"Nevertheless, I am proud of the work of Meals on Wheels and regard them as proud partners. They are doing incredible work and must be commended for that," Ntombela says.

World Food Day is celebrated annually across the world to raise awareness of the food problem around the globe, and also against hunger, poverty and malnutrition.

The event was also attended by the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development, Thembeni Nxangisa, the MEC responsible for Public Works and Infrastructure, Tshidi Koloi, as well as the Director-General of the Free State provincial government, Kopung Ralikontsane.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Meals on Wheels, Nelisa Mabenge, said in addition to ensuring that those most in need of food are taken care of, Meals on Wheels has undertaken to provide skills development programmes for the youth of not only the Free State province, but the country at large.

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