Durban - KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, is in Mariannridge, on Sunday to celebrate her 63rd birthday with children from a temporary shelter set up for residents displaced in the April floods.
The celebration will take place at Mariannridge Community Hall.
Khoza, said that the shelter is housing families coming from different areas, whose homes were destroyed by floods that had devastating effects in the province.
“Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu and myself recently visited the shelter to hand over Social Relief of Distress to the families and found children with no toys.“
Khoza added that she made a commitment to return to the shelter to spend time with children.
She said she would celebrating her birthday by sharing meals and cake with the children and parents.
Khoza said that she believes that protection of children’s rights is a responsibility for all citizens in the country.
“We opted to go to the shelter once more because we want to restore confidence in our communities housed there. We have social workers attending to these communities in shelters and we were given reports that children seem to have nothing to play with.”
“We also want to celebrate Women’s Month with all women in the shelter and appreciate them for their strength as they continue to raise children under difficult conditions. We decided that because it’s my birthday it would be good to find toys to give to them and share lunch with the children and their families.”