Christmas came early for elderly residents of Jozini on Tuesday 19 December 2025, following heart warming acts from the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Honourable MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, who ensured that each and every household is food secure during this festive season.

Hundreds of senior citizens attended at the stakeholder engagement programme held at Mgabadeli Primary School. Over hundreds of senior citizens attended the stakeholder engagement programme at Mgabadeli Primary School. The programme substituted the province's Operation Sukuma Sakhe initiative by bringing together all departments within the uMkhanyakude District with the aim of addressing challenges faced by the elderly community, including unsubstantiated allegations of witchcraft, gender-based violence, and femicide, as well as the theft of pension grant cards. The senior citizens were also informed about opportunities available to the elderly, such as farming initiatives.

During the event, MEC KaMadlopha-Mthethwa stated that 'As members of the KwaZulu-Natal Cabinet, we recommit our dedication to serving our communities and we are obliged to serve our constituencies during this time of the year because it's the only month without the province's Sukuma Sakhe (OSS). Despite that, we have always been available to our communities as we charged with the responsibility of providing real solutions to local challenges. We thank God for the well-being of our senior citizens, who also deserve equal access to government opportunities. It is our responsibility to ensure they receive support and are not subjected to hardship brought by many challenges they face on a daily basis."

KaMadlopha-Mthethwa also used the opportunity to advise the elderly to engage in physical exercise and make reading a habit. She said that the benefits of farming helps maintain physical fitness and accessing healthy, organic diets.

Apart from receiving grocery items as Christmas gifts, 600 senior citizens also benefited from the seeds programme, chickens, and fertilizers, with MEC KaMadlopha-Mthethwa saying that this initiative would help alleviate food insecurity that is prevalent in the district of uMkhanyakude.