MP probes ministry over food for work programme for the elderly

House of Assembly member Trevor Saruwaka has probed the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Services over how it treats the issue of the elderly people being registered under the food for work programme when they are old and unable to work.

He made the remarks while asking the deputy minister Tapiwa Matangaidze  over the food for work programmes.

"My question is directed to the Minister on the Food for Work Programme.  Some of these people who are suffering from hunger are over 70 years old and even up to 92 years old.  The other vulnerable are the sick, the disabled and orphans who are unable to provide manual labour.  How are those going to be catered for since they are supposed to work in order for them to get the food?  How are they going to benefit?" he said.

Matangaidze said settlements where there is Public Assistance Programme, are different from the rural settlements where there have the harmonised social case transfer.

"So, that is why I specifically addressed the Public Assistance Programme which applies to the urban settlements. When you look at these programmes where you have labour prejudiced households which the Hon. Member is referring to, where they cannot offer labour, those are the people who are on our records for the initial assistance, but in instances where you find that the household, although they are food deficient but can offer labour, they will go on the Food for Work Programme that I spoke about," he said.