Almost half a million people in 82 000 households in Gauteng have been provided with food relief, according to Gauteng Premier David Makhura.

Speaking at a weekly briefing by the Gauteng Coronavirus Command Council, Makhura said the number excluded homeless people and was for households who called for assistance from the government.

He said the Gauteng government had helped 3 328 homeless people during the lockdown, but added that the number continued to fluctuate.

The lockdown in the country, aimed at containing the novel coronavirus, left many people stranded at home because only those offering essential services were allowed to earn an income.

After the country downgraded to a Level 4 lockdown, more employees were allowed to go back to work but many, including breadwinners, are still stranded at home and are dependent on the government for relief.

On Thursday, Makhura appealed to NGOs and businesses to help support families in need of relief but stressed that this would need to be co-ordinated to avoid a situation in which large numbers of people gathered for food against physical distancing regulations.

Makhura said the provincial government was in the process of piloting e-vouchers for families in need and said once this got off the ground, families would be able to shop for themselves.

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