Every year some people scramble to gather enough food or money to help them survive the festive season, but Phumeza Mashe from Tembisa and Thandi Mafungu from Alexandra, are not worried about how they’ll survive this festive season.

STOCKPILING 

Phumeza, who has been stockpiling every time she goes shopping, told Zimoja that she’s happy with the food she’s collected over 11 months. "I’ve been collecting food since January. This means every time I went shopping, I bought in bulk and kept the food away because I knew I had a huge family. So when I go home to the Eastern Cape in December, I know we’ll have enough. I don’t have a stokvel anymore," she said. Thandi, who hails from Limpopo also gave the same reasons for why she does stockpile, noting how it has helped her throughout the years that she’s been doing it. "I’ve been doing it for many years now and I have to say it helps me a lot with my huge family. Every time I do my monthly groceries, I buy something in bulk, so that by the end of the year I can see how much food I’ve been able to accumulate. Buying in bulk doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, it just needs patience and perseverance," she said. She added that her food usually lasts up to six months.