ULULATION and dance were the order of the day for the street hawkers in the Ndundulu area.
This after they received assistance from King Cetshwayo District Municipality on Friday, 26 January.
More than 100 hawkers who make a living by selling fruit and vegetables to the motorists passing Ndundulu area between Eshowe and Melmoth, northern KZN received food parcels for their families.
One of the hawkers who started selling at the stall in 1991, gogo Nokwazi Mhlongo (61), said they are happy that today the municipality remembered them.
She said January is always a bad month for them as most people don’t have money to buy.
“It's hard because the money we make here is not enough to buy us full groceries and pay school fees. It's impossible but today we are glad that we can now focus on other things instead of buying food for our families,” said Nokwazi.
She said she has sent all her four children to school, and they've completed finished matric.
“One of my kids was doing her final year at college and she'll be looking for work all because of this table I sell on,” she said.
ALSO READ: Hospital viral video ends in joy!
Another hawker said although they are not making a lot of money, they're still able to send their children to school.
“We believe that when they finish school, they will rescue us because we don't make enough selling here,” said.
She said that that they're grateful that they will go home with groceries and their families will be happy.
“We are happy because we were not expecting this. We wish that they will come back and listen to other issues that we have and assist us as well,” said.
King Cetshwayo District Mayor Thami Ntuli said they decided to come and gift the hawkers something because of the role they play in the local economic development.
“We are here today to appreciate your role and the work that you've been doing to ensure that your families never go to bed on an empty stomach,” said Ntuli.
He added that he heard about their grievances, and they will come back and assist where they could.
