The distribution of drought relief food in the Otjozondjupa Region has resumed after months of delay due to short supply.
Otjozondjupa Regional Council Chairperson Marlayn Mbakera has said the region faced numerous challenges in the supply of maize meal over the past four months.
"We went into contracts with the truck owners, and now we have enough trucks, and now we are struggling to keep them on track because of the undersupply of the maize meal from the supplier. The suppliers are letting us down by not delivering the maize meal on time. And there is nowhere you are going to give the person his fish and cooking oil, so that keeps us a little bit behind, but we relate to working on and working progress. We are continuing to distribute our drought-relief food. At the moment, if you did not get your commodity for last month, you are getting double the commodity you were supposed to receive. So we are ensuring that our people are getting their food on time. The only challenge I've mentioned is the supplier of the maize meal; otherwise, the region is on track."
The region has over 26,000 beneficiaries, and another 10,000 are in peri-urban areas that are also affected by food insecurity.
On this, Mbakera called on beneficiaries who receive double bags to share with others who have not yet registered but are in the process of doing so.
"Ensure that when the food reaches you, use it to your benefit and the benefit of the people who are living with you. Share with the others that are not yet registered. As you see, when we register the people, there is always a concern about the people that are not registered, and we are bombarded by those people. But unfortunately, at the time when the numbers were given to the Prime Minister, we could not give everybody, so we are just pleading that those that are getting it, must share."
Mbakera also expressed displeasure at the four-month shelf life of the 20 kg bags of maize meal supplied to the drought relief programme, saying the matter needs to be reviewed.
The drought relief programme will run until June 2025.