Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina on Tuesday launched a food bank to provide relief to the poor during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Masina said the food bank would ensure that no resident in the city goes to bed hungry because of the coronavirus. He called on the privileged to make donations.

"While our concerns are around the economy, we are also confronted with a situation where the lives of ordinary people are being severely impacted," he said. "Millions of people are out of work and families across the country are struggling to make ends meet because of the impediment that the pandemic has on their ability to generate meaningful livelihoods.

"It is for this reason that Ekurhuleni has decided to establish this Covid-19 food bank that is aimed at ensuring that the poorest of families in our city have access to the most basic but most important supplies."

The food bank would ensure that items such as food, hand sanitisers, masks and other important necessities were distributed in order to mitigate the spread of the virus, said Masina.

On Tuesday, Emperors Palace and other major businesses in Ekurhuleni pledged their support or made donations.

Among other donations already recorded were:

• 200 food vouchers worth R500 each;
• 1,000 rice packs;
• 1,000 soap packs; and
• 5,000 meat packs.

Masina said these and all donations to come would be distributed using a transparent, ward-based system.

"The city and Gauteng province have a database of social welfare and development beneficiaries," he said.

"These, along with those who have been rendered unable to provide food for themselves due to loss of income and other factors, will be the priority.

"Officials of the city who do social development work will be tasked with the management of this process to ensure transparency and efficiency."

No cash donations will be accepted, added Masina.