MEET the men who go around their community begging people for food and clothes.
But it’s not for them – they collect these items and hand them to needy people living around Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.
Members of Shaka Ramina Social Club do not only rely on donations they get from people, but they also use some of their club money to buy school uniforms for pupils every year.
John “Zane” Shabangu, a Shaka Ramina executive, said the purpose of their work was to get other social clubs to think about all the needy families while they pay their monthly contributions.
“In our community, we see many people who need help, which is why we buy school uniforms and give groceries to those who can’t easily afford them,” said Zane.
He said each member contributes R300 every month. This money goes into their savings account where it is shared equally in December.
They celebrate their good fortune with their families at a big braai.
While it is not a sin to take their families out for a nice treat, they also believe it is important that they help the less fortunate.
They first identify struggling families and buy them small gifts and groceries for Christmas. They also buy needy children school uniforms so that when the schools reopen in January, they will look beautiful like all the other children.
Every month they also pay an extra R20 so that at the end of the year, they will have some cash to buy some things they can give to orphans for Christmas.
Shaka Ramina is a Shangaan word meaning “my relative”. Thanks to their work, many people have clothes and have slept on full stomachs since the club started in 2011.
