Stokvels put food on the table during festive season

As the year starts, we need to set clear goals which will go a long way in ensuring that our money sustains us in the future. One thing you can do is join a grocery stokvel.

This phenomenon has existed for many years and it has proven to help so many families during the festive period.

This is a time when many stokvels buy groceries in bulk and divide the food among themselves while other stokvels pay out for food, including a cow, when there is a bereavement.

One such grocery stokvel is Dlakadla Inkomo and Grocery Premium Society. Just over a year ago, the stokvel had 10 members and now has 25. 

Founder Ntokozo Mdluli said he established the society in November 2021 after realising that families were struggling to put together money for food and a tombstone when they lose a loved one.

“I saw how desperate people were in a time of need. When a loved one dies, there are people who will come to support the family and they need to eat.

“I saw that many people were not able to feed those coming to offer their condolences hence I started the society,” said Mdluli.

The stokvel offers various packages which start from R175 per member per month. A package for 25 people goes for R395 per month.

With the packages, you contribute from as little as R125 for a tombstone, R130 for the cow and R20 for groceries, depending on the number of people you cover.

“Depending on what package one has chosen, when a member puts in a claim, we give them a cow worth R7,000, groceries worth R3,000, a tombstone, catering services and R200 airtime. With the R7,000 for the cow, families may decide if they want cash and we give them cash,” he said.

The grocery list includes mealie meal, rice, sugar, chicken pieces, cooking oil and vegetables.

Mdluli said he wants to see the society grow beyond Mpumalanga.

“My goal is to see it grow and get members across the country.”

Lerato Stokvel saves money throughout the year and the members buy groceries mid-December and share among themselves.

Chairperson Mpho Moloi said the stokvel was established in 2019 among close friends and now has extended to other people. It has 30 members.

“Each month, starting in December, we contribute around R500. The money is deposited into our chosen store card and we do so until the end of November. By then, each of us will have R6,000. Say for instance your groceries add up to R2,500, you have an option to keep the money in the card or you can use it to buy something else, an appliance for instance.

“As long as you buy from the chosen supermarket because that is the only place you can swipe it. Over the years, we have had members saving more than R6,000 and they use the money to buy appliances when they are on promotion,” she said.

Moloi said while they encourage members to use their money to also buy anything else they want, their constitution is against taking the card and using it during the course of the year but when a member makes a presentation and asks to use the card during the year, it is taken into consideration.

“It is strictly for use in December but there are some exceptions. While we have opened it up to people to buy other things, our main goal is to ensure that families have food in December.

“We have seen how people struggle to put food on the table in December and while R500 may seem like a lot of money to contribute each month, it really goes a long way in December because you will be able to do far more with the R6,000 you have saved.”

Moloi said their goal was to get more members and they were considering an option of getting different store cards.

“Supermarkets offer various promotions and I think if we were to get cards from different stores, we could get so much more for less. That will really help us feed our families for longer,” said Moloi.

• Add a twist to your stokvel with SA’s quality brands

mashabas@sowetan.co.za