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Kind SA Cops Grow Veggies For Struggling Communities

All around South Africa there is a beautiful, growing trend to grow vegetables for those who are struggling to put food on the table. And it turns out that even policemen are spending their spare time growing free food for those who are starving. The South African Police Services (SAPS) reports that in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, […]

All around South Africa there is a beautiful, growing trend to grow vegetables for those who are struggling to put food on the table. And it turns out that even policemen are spending their spare time growing free food for those who are starving.

Johann Scott in his pavement vegetable garden – free for anyone to pick from. Source: RapportWeb, Photo by Elizabeth Sejake

The South African Police Services (SAPS) reports that in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, police are serving their communities by growing vegetables at the Police Station, and then “distributing the vegetables to members of the community who are struggling to make ends meet”.

Estcourt Police Station’s vegetable garden. Source: SAPS

SA Police Minister Fikile Mbalula shared the photos of the police vegetable garden, saying the police grow the veggies in their free time, adding “community safety first… and assist their needs. How cool!!”

Rapport newspaper also reported on Tuesday about an incredibly kind, retired policeman – Johan Scott (62) from Heidelberg – who grows vegetables on the pavement in front of his house… where hungry people can come any time and take veggies for free!

He told Rapport: “Dit maak my hart warm as mense my groente eet” (It makes my heart warm when people eat my vegetables.)

Scott grows cabbage, onion, beans, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and beetroot.

In Pietermaritzburg, five residents – Mduduzi Hlongwane, 51, Nkosingiphile Chule, 22, Khethiwe Zulu, 29, Xolile Chule, 23 and Sindisile Stephanis, 24 – have turned a dump site into a vegetable garden, selling and donating vegetables to the community. The garden has become a much-needed source of food for elderly residents and “some buy, but we donate most of our veggies to the needy without money”. It’s also become a great way to keep unemployed youngsters busy and engaged in good deeds rather than being drawn to drugs and crime.

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/933204285717909504