LONMIN PREVENTS DISTRIBUTION AT WONDERKOP STADIUM Saturday, 24 May 2014, was a day of splendor and glory in the wondrous North West winter sun. Hungry and starving men, women and children ululated as 2300 families received food parcels, 6000 were fed a hot meal, over a thousand were treated by a 25-member medical team and 300 were given blankets and tinned food in an attempt to give "something" to everyone of the 10 000 desperate people who turned up. But the day started off volatile, the omens were not good, starting at the mine entrance when Lonmin mine security and plain clothes personnel tried to prevent our vehicles and personnel entry to the Marikana mine. Inside the situation was volatile, hungry people were angry because Lonmin shut down the Wonderkop Stadium to prevent Gift of the Givers access to distribute sorely needed food parcels to the teeming thousands and provide medical care to the most vulnerable. This was a recipe for disaster; it was the biggest crowd we had seen as yet after a week at various shafts on the mine; word was spreading about the availability of food and the expectation was high. How do you control such desperation from hunger in the absence of a secure environment like the Wonderkop Stadium. The mine workers and their families were afraid that we would turn around and leave without assisting, afraid that the risk would be too high, not because people are violent, but because they are desperate. But we couldn't walk away. We had witnessed the fortitude, resilience, dignity, patience and calmness of these poor people; we had experienced the discipline and the organisation of the workers committee and we had faith in our own ability to manage such situations. Obstructing us from using a secure environment like Wonderkop Stadium, which, by the way, has always been used freely for mine workers events, was not going to deter us from serving obviously desperately hungry people. They waited in long snaking queues for up to 8 hours by the time we reached the tail end, a model of patience and admirable conduct in that heart warming, soul filling winter sun, ever grateful for just a plate of food, a simple blood pressure check, a word of good counsel or an empathetic listening ear; the medicine and nutritional supplements were a bonus including the dental extractions that were done. They presented with a whole range of medical conditions including a high number of HIV patients, many hypertensives and diabetics, skin ailments, some TB but the greatest at risk were the pregnant mothers, of which there are many, because of the absence of a normal ante- natal follow up to deal with whatever medical problems that may arise. The overall observation from the entire medical team was unanimous: "these people need food" and food is a prerequisite for most of the medication that has to be taken and for their general well being. We returned exhausted and satisfied as we witnessed the happiness of a people who were exemplary in conduct satisfied with what little was on offer in the knowledge that someone cared for them and took notice of their plight. To all those who have supported this initiative we say a big "THANK YOU" on behalf of these families who are indeed fellow South Africans. The programme continues.