Municipal receptionist cooks for 400 pensioners every month through her soup kitchen

A municipal receptionist in KwaBhaca started a monthly soup kitchen for the elderly after witnessing them having to brave the cold in long queues while waiting to receive their pensions.

Zanele Xotongo, 40, who works for the Umzimvubu local municipality in KwaBhaca, said she had noticed the elderly people waiting outside the town hall in 2021.

“It touched me because it was a cold morning, and I am sure they travelled from far just to get their pension grants,” she said.

This prompted Xotongo to start a soup kitchen to provide the pensioners with a warm meal while they wait in line.

“I make them soup, bread and tea.

“This made me realise that some of them come to the hall on an empty stomach, so they become excited when I prepare the meals for them.

“They bring their medicine with them so that they can take it after they have had their meal,” she said.

Xotongo, who runs the soup kitchen every month, does all the preparation and cooking herself from her home before going to work.

The soup kitchen has grown to feed about 400 people.

“I get donations from friends and family. Sometimes I use my own personal finances to buy the ingredients.

“I am blessed for the support I get from everyone because I have never struggled in getting resources.

“My husband and I leave our home at 6am so that we have enough time to dish out the soup at the hall.

“I am fortunate because I also get helped by colleagues who arrive early at the hall.

“I am a born-again Christian, so this initiative was a message from God. 

“I like to serve people. I am a person who loves going the extra mile to help people.

“As a Christian, I believe it is my duty to change the lives of those who are in need.”

Xotongo, who describes herself as a people’s person, was involved in another initiative, helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds, before she got married.

“Nothing gives me more joy than seeing the elderly we feed smiling and chatting away as we feed them,” she said.

Her dream is to have a mobile kitchen, which will make it easier to run the soup kitchen.

In winter, she serves the elderly soup, bread and tea, and during warmer weather, she hands out sandwiches, fruit and juice.

“As much as I get help from my colleagues when dishing up, I would like to have two or three people to help me when making the soup and sandwiches.”

Local Hero nominator Andiswa Gxobole described Xotongo as a compassionate person who loved to make other people happy.

“Her work has been recognised and commended by people.

“It has been more than a year that she has been doing this initiative.

“She is a young and energetic woman of God.

“She does it with so much grace, she is truly our local hero in our community,” said Gxobole, adding that when she saw the Daily Dispatch Local hero campaign, she had immediately thought of Xotongo.

“For a person to sacrifice her time and finances in ensuring that people are fed deserves to be recognised,” said Gxobole.

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