Three hundred children are steered away from catastrophic lives of drugs and crime simply by folk who perform the loving act of giving them a plate of hot, comforting food.
Plateless, a name well-chosen by Pefferville community stalwarts Angel and Lan Snyman, also feeds and provides assistance to 70 adults who are unable to afford regular and nutritious meals.
Speaking about their 67 minutes for Mandela event, where they did what they do up to three times a week — feeding the hopeless, helpless and struggling in their community — they spoke of their strategy which was built one plate at a time — through their work.
“We also want to give these children hope for a better future.
“Many children in Pefferville grow up in an environment where drugs, alcohol, abuse, and gangsterism are part of daily life.
“Through our work, we hope to offer them a new perspective on life — to show them that a different, better future is possible,” Angel said.
The couple started their mission post-Covid-19 in 2022 and in 2024, officially launched their soup kitchen, education support efforts, and a clothing bank.
“Our biggest dream is to cook every single day — because hunger doesn’t take days off.
“We also support the children’s education by helping with school fees, finding uniforms, and stationery.”
They also realised that the children and adults needed fresh, wearable clothes and started a clothing bank, collecting good second-hand clothes from the community and passing them on to those in need.
However, there remains the problem of the more they work, the more people come forward.
“The number of children keeps growing. We’re urgently looking for local businesses to support us regularly with food. Small monthly contributions make a big difference,” she said.
Food remained the first line of defence against horrific poverty.
Angel said: “We cook the meals ourselves on the spot and make sure the children get proper nourishment.
“For each meal, we prepare a stew with meat and vegetables, along with a side dish like pap, rice, or pasta.”
Children had to have adequate nutrition “to grow and to concentrate at school”, she said.
“Our mission is to support families in regaining their dignity.”
She said their Mandela Day meal had attracted good support from East London businesses and organisations.
“We received the sort of support we’ve always dreamed of.
“Jade’s Plumbing, OK Foods, Encona, and Medicross donated food, and a group of girls from Stirling Primary used their pocket money to contribute and started a clothing fund at school.
The support from the community “made the day truly special”.
But now it’s back to the daily grind of finding the food and resources to keep the children and adults going. And, though nobody gets turned away, numbers keep rising.
She thanked everyone who played their part.
Through our work, we hope to offer them a new perspective on life — to show them that a different, better future is possible. Our biggest dream is to cook every single day — because hunger doesn’t take days off
