Ploughing Back The Love - Dr. Peter Motale

By Rusana Philander

Most people get angry when a crime is committed against them – but not Peter Motale who just opens his heart even more.

The successful Gugulethu resident, saddened by the hunger and poverty in his community that was contributing to an escalation in crime, is ploughing back some love into his hometown.

Every Monday morning before work Motale, 64, drives to the local bakery and buys 180 loaves of bread from his own pocket. He then drives back to his transport business, where a long line of people are already gathering.

By 11am, when Motale gets out his car, a large group of people, mainly elderly men and women, are sitting on the black plastic chairs he has laid on the grass for them.

He walks up to them and has a chat. The community has come to know and love this affable businessman since he started the initiative in March.

“I decided to do this after a 16-year-old boy stole scrap metal from my business premises,” Motale said.

“After the incident, people from the community told me who the guy was, but when I got to his home I was saddened by their home conditions.

“Poverty stared me in the face and I immediately understood why this young guy was stealing.

“That is when I decided to start this project,” he said.

Motale added he then distributed pamphlets in the community to inform them about his plan to distribute bread from his business premises.

“This is also my little contribution towards my community because these are the people who made me into the man I am today,” he said.

The people are grateful for the loaf of bread that helps them immensely. Many of them feed big families on small pensions. Some have nothing.

Magobiyana Msondo, 79, said she comes to collect bread at the premises every Monday morning.

“We are very grateful for this bread because it helps us a lot. At home I have four children to feed on my pension money,” she said.

Alfred Ngculu, 82, added: “We look forward to this bread. Peter really cares about his community and has helped us.”

Motale said he undertook the project as a year-long one but would like to continue it – if he manages to get more funding.

He has requested people who would like to donate more bread to contact him on 0826707011.

SOURCE: The New Age

Daily bread helps fight hunger

By Moses Mackay | Aug 02, 2011 | 

CAPE Town businessman Peter Motale and Gugulethu residents have called on businesses, non-governmental organisations and people to join forces in the fight against poverty in the area.

 We give bread to about 160 families every Monday

A Sowetan team visited the sprawling township yesterday and found residents waiting in long queues to get bread supplied by the Motale Family Trust Bread Programme.

Motale, 64, co-owns the trust with his wife Cora, a dean of students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

"We give bread to about 160 families every Monday. Bread is not enough because more and more people are coming to our offices looking for food," said Motale.

He said it was critical that all businesses, NGOs and people should declare war on poverty. The Motales started the programme in March last year and have helped many residents in Gugulethu.

"There is still a long way to go because many residents are unemployed or pensioners. We appeal to all those who can help to contribute to the programme," he said.

Motale said residents who wanted to benefit should register.

Pensioner Grace Manga, 70, said life would be very difficult without the trust.

"There is no breadwinner in my family, so the trust plays a huge part in our lives," Manga said.

She said she would like to get two or three loaves of bread every day because one loaf was not enough for her big family.

Manga added that she would like to see businesses, NGOs and other people contribute to the programme.

"I think they should continue so that more destitute people like us can benefit," she said.

Thobeka Buzani, 59, said Motale started the programme after he saw the high rate of crime and youth unemployment in the area.

"The programme helps my two school-going children. If many of the young people around can get jobs, the high crime levels can be reduced," she said.

Jeremiah Njoli, 61, always shares a loaf of bread with unemployed neighbour Mbuyiseli Ncedani, 51.

The two share a loaf because they are not on the list of beneficiaries nor had they registered for aid.

"Though my children benefit from the feeding scheme at their school, the Motale programme helps to feed me and my neighbour Mbuyiseli," Njoli said.

Njoli added that he would also like to get soup from the programme. He urged local businesses to join forces with the Motales.

"I am sure that if they all joined forces, we would get more than bread. They probably would be able to give us soup and other goodies too," said Njoli.

SOURCE: SOWETAN

You can contact Dr. Peter Motale on  0826707011