Two Manenberg cops are going the extra mile for their community by providing a bowl of warm porridge every morning for hungry children.
Constable Natasha Landers and Sergeant Peter Snyers have been hailed as heroes after they embarked on their porridge patrol this week aimed at helping struggling parents who have hungry children at home.
The duo say since the beginning of the school holidays on 5 December, they have noticed an increase in children asking for food while out on patrol.
“We realised that is because many of the children rely on the food they get from the school feeding schemes. But now that it is holidays, they don’t actually get anything,” says Landers.
“At least if they have breakfast, they have eaten something for the day.”
Manenberg kids enjoy a lekker bakkie pap. Picture: Monique Duval
So this week, armed with a 25kg bag of Jungle Oats donated by the Western Cape Missing Person’s Unit, the police partners roped in Landers’ aunty, Natalie Heldsinger, to help them make a 40 litre pot of oats.
On Tuesday they arrived at the informal settlement behind the Heideveld Sports Field and served up the porridge from the back of their police bakkie.
Mom Nuraan Grant, 21, lauded them for their efforts: “You can see they really care. We have so many laaities here that only get food at school because us parents are sukkeling but they even gave us adults something to eat.”
FEED: Little girl with pap. Picture: Supplied
During the handout, a small boy was seen peeking out from behind the bakkie and aunties called him to come closer but the laaitie said he was bang the officers would arrest him.
Snyers walked up to the boy and reassured him, saying: “Ons gaan jou nie seer maak nie. Net stout kinders gaan tronk toe.
“Kom kry vir jou pap.”
EAT UP: Landers feeding a child. Picture: Supplied
Landers says they will be continuing their porridge patrol but will pick a different spot in the precinct each day, including Heideveld, Manenberg and Tambo Village.
“We are appealing for help to keep this going and looking for donations of oats, mielie meal, milk, sugar and bread,” she says.
If you would like to help, call Landers on 082 522 0714
.