Zukiswa Zimela, Author at Heala

Where food is a right and good nutrition a luxury, millions in SA are stunted

Posted on November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

International law recognises every human being’s right to adequate food. Our own constitution states that “everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water”. Despite this, our country is grappling with serious issues of hunger. A 2023 report by Stats SA estimates that 3.7-million households had some form of food insecurity. Of this, about 1.5-million households had severe food insecurity. It is wrong that this is happening in a country that with a strong farming industry is considered food secure.

Over half a million South African families with children under five years old have to deal with hunger every day. This means that a quarter of our children are stunted, which is a sign of long-term malnutrition. One of the primary drivers of stunting is the lack of food that’s high in nutrients to support the growth of young bodies.

Researchers have long warned of the consequences of the rapidly occurring nutritional transition, where we no longer eat like our grandparents. We now buy cheaper, more filling, processed foods that have a lot of salt, sugar, and fat.

Since the inception in 2018 of the health promotion levy (HPL), a tax on sugar, people have been drinking less sugary drinks. The HPL has, in turn, generated billions in state revenue. HEALA and its partners have been calling for our government to use the funds generated for lifesaving interventions

This article was published on Elitsha on the 25th of Ocober 2025. Click Here to read the entire piece.

UN Political Declaration on NCD’s, mental health and food justice reflects a diluted commitment to decisive action.

Posted on September 23, 2025September 23, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

Press Statement

For Immediate Release

23 September 2025

Ahead of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-Being – 25 September 2025

As the world prepares for the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, the Food Justice Coalition is deeply concerned that the current draft of the Political Declaration reflects a diluted commitment to decisive action. While it acknowledges global ambitions to reduce premature deaths and promote mental well-being, it lacks bold, measurable, and enforceable commitments urgently needed to reverse the rising tide of NCDs and diet-related ill-health.

In 2021, NCDs caused an estimated 43 million deaths, many preventable. South Africa and other low and middle-income countries carry the heaviest burden, despite proven, cost-effective, interventions. Yet, the declaration weakens critical language on industry accountability and omits clear fiscal and policy mechanisms to tackle the commercial determinants of NCDs, especially sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), ultra-processed foods, tobacco, and alcohol.

Taxes on harmful commodities are proven tools to reduce consumption and generate revenue for health systems. The latest advocacy report by the NCD Alliance, a global alliance of organisations committed to fighting the rising tide of NCDs, shows that financing essential NCD interventions requires at least 1.1–1.7% of gross national income, with up to 54% of costs allocated to essential medicines. Removing or softening commitments on taxation undermines governments’ ability to protect health and achieve financial protection for people living with NCDs.

Weak language signals weak resolve, emboldening powerful industries that profit from disease. The commercial drivers of NCDs, including aggressive marketing, price manipulation, and policy interference, cannot be addressed without binding, measurable fiscal and regulatory commitments.

Call to Action: South Africa and Member States Must Lead

The Food Justice Coalition calls on the Government of South Africa and all UN Member States to:

• Adopt binding regulations to reduce sugar, salt, and harmful chemicals in processed foods, alongside strict monitoring.

• Implement and scale up taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, ultra-processed foods, tobacco, and alcohol, at levels proportional to their health harms.

• Ringfence revenues from these taxes to finance universal access to NCD prevention, essential medicines, and mental health services.

• Enact safeguards against industry interference, including full transparency on political donations and lobbying.

• Mandate independent monitoring of corporate products and marketing, with annual reviews against explicit targets on reducing harmful consumption and NCD mortality.

• Guarantee equitable access to nutritious food, mental health care, and primary health services, prioritising low-income and marginalised communities.

• Centre the voices of people living with NCDs in policy design, implementation, and evaluation.

Conclusion

The Political Declaration cannot be another missed opportunity. A bold and uncompromising stance is needed to confront the structural drivers of ill health, close the financing gap, and protect future generations. South Africa, with its constitutional right to health and progressive public health record is uniquely positioned to champion stronger language and insist on clear fiscal and accountability measures.

The Food Justice Coalition stands ready to work with government, civil society, and global partners to ensure that the UN High-Level Meeting delivers on its promise: a future where every person can exercise their right to health, free from the predatory practices of industries that profit from disease.

[Ends]

Issued by:

The Food Justice Coalition –

The Food Justice Coalition is a values-driven alliance of organisations committed to advancing food justice through collective action, mutual support, and shared leadership.

For media enquiries please contact:

Zukiswa Zimela | HEALA | zukiswa@heala.org | 074521065

HEALA pushes back against the recent ruling by the Advertising Regulatory Board

Posted on September 8, 2025September 8, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

PRESS RELEASE

IMMEDIATE: 08 SEPTEMBER 2025

HEALA (Healthy Living Alliance), a non-profit organisation that advocates for healthy living and food justice for all, is appealing an Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) ruling that found its public-interest advert on the harmful effects of sugary drinks misleading and inaccurate.

The ARB claimed that the messaging of the HEALA advertisement in question was positioned as fact instead of opinion, further citing that it was specifically worded to shock consumers into believing that any consumption of sugary drinks would lead to disease.

We at HEALA believe that, if anything, our advertisement simply urges South Africans to be mindful of what they eat – especially foods high in sugar, salt, saturated fats and sweeteners, which can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and other non-communicable diseases.

“This case is important because it will determine whether organisations such as HEALA can continue to run evidence-based public health campaigns without being unfairly restricted by advertising rules. It affects how civil society can raise awareness about diet-related diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, and advocate for policies like a stronger Health Promotion Levy. The appeal also raises key questions about freedom of expression, association, and the right to food and health, while setting an important precedent for non-commercial, advocacy-focused campaigns in South Africa. A ruling in HEALA’s favour would protect the space for public-interest advocacy and ensure that scientific evidence can be used to inform and protect communities,” notes HEALA CEO, Nzama Mbalati.

HEALA, and its partners, believe the public should be made aware of how industry players often try to block life-saving policies through tactics such as the one outlined above. We also believe that people have the right to understand the grounds of this case, as our mission is to inform and educate South African consumers. Below, we share more details on the case and the next steps to help our partners and the public stay informed.

What was the cause of the case?

In October 2024, HEALA ran a campaign calling for a stronger Health Promotion Levy (the tax on sugary drinks). One of the advertisements, broadcast in Afrikaans, stated:

“Fizzy drinks and fruit juice make our children sick. With every sip, sugar is dumped into their bodies, leading to obesity, heart disease and diabetes as they age. We must protect our children from all drinks with sugar in them. Insist on a stricter health promotion levy now. Sign the petition on heala.org.”

A consumer lodged a complaint claiming that his daughter was distressed after hearing the HEALA advertisement. He argued that the advert wrongly implied that drinking sugary drinks will definitely cause serious illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes, and that the advertisement therefore amounted to misleading health claims.

Who is the ARB?

According to the ARB’s website it is “South Africa’s official self-regulation body that adjudicates complaints about advertising content.”

The ARB is directly funded by several industry bodies, including companies that produce sodas and sugary drinks – which is the very controversial product in the public health advertisement.

What did the ARB originally say?

The Directorate of the Advertising Regulatory Board originally upheld the consumer’s complaint against HEALA’s advert. It found that the statement suggesting sugary drinks and fruit juice “make our children sick” was misleading because it implied that any consumption of such drinks would directly cause diseases like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. The Directorate concluded that the advert presented these health risks as inevitable outcomes rather than potential long-term effects, and therefore breached the Code of Advertising Practice. This ruling meant the advert could no longer be carried by ARB member platforms, prompting HEALA’s appeal.

What did the Appeal Committee conclude?

The Advertising Appeals Committee (AAC) dismissed HEALA’s appeal on 23 June 2025 and upheld the Directorate’s ruling against the advert. The AAC agreed the advert was misleading because it gave the impression that any sugary drink would automatically make children sick and cause diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. The Committee also rejected HEALA’s argument that the advert was public-interest advocacy and should be exempt from the Code, and that it should instead be treated as a set of factual health claims. HEALA argues this misrepresents both the purpose and wording of the advert, which was clearly intended as public health advocacy to protect children and build support for strengthening the Health Promotion Levy. By focusing on one consumer’s reaction rather than the broader advocacy message, the AAC’s ruling has limited HEALA’s ability to share its evidence-based campaign with the public.

What are the key issues to be decided before the final appeal committee?

Accuracy and evidence supporting the advert. The appeal body is to consider that HEALA’s advert is grounded in scientific evidence and expert reports, which clearly support the claims made about the harms of sugary drinks. HEALA provided two independent expert reports providing that the claim was accurate and highlighting the significant health risk of soda and fruit juice consumption on health.

Proper interpretation of the advert. The appeal body is to assess whether the ARB misread the advert as claiming that any sugar consumption will inevitably cause disease, when in fact it communicates that sugary drinks can contribute to long-term health risks.

Public-interest advocacy versus commercial advertising. The appeal body should recognise that the advert is part of HEALA’s public health advocacy, aiming to protect children and encourage public support for a heftier Health Promotion Levy.

Jurisdiction of the ARB. The appeal body should consider whether health-related claims fall within the regulatory authority of the Department of Health rather than the ARB, and whether the ARB exceeded its mandate.

Non-commercial nature and consumer impact. The appeal body should weigh whether the advert misleads or harms consumers, noting that it simply encourages public engagement through petitioning and access to information.

Constitutional rights and advocacy standards. The appeal body should consider whether the AAC’s ruling imposes unreasonable restrictions on public health advocacy and infringes constitutional rights, including freedom of expression, association, and the right to adequate nutrition and health.

Why is this case important?

Protecting public health messaging. The outcome will affect how organisations such as HEALA can communicate evidence-based health risks, especially around sugar and diet-related diseases.
Safeguarding advocacy space. A ruling in HEALA’s favour would reinforce the ability of civil society to campaign on public-interest matters without being unfairly constrained by advertising regulations beyond that of commercial advertising.
Encouraging evidence-based action. The case underscores the importance of using scientific evidence in public campaigns to inform the public and influence policy, such as strengthening the Health Promotion Levy.
Defending constitutional rights. The appeal raises critical questions about freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the right to food and health, particularly in public health advocacy contexts.
Setting a precedent for non-commercial campaigns. The decision could clarify how non-commercial, advocacy-focused adverts are treated under the Advertising Code, shaping the landscape for future public health campaigns.

What are possible outcomes?

The appeal could have a few different outcomes. The Final Appeal Committee might rule in HEALA’s favour, confirming that the advert was lawful public-interest advocacy and allowing the campaign to continue. It could also dismiss the appeal, upholding the AAC’s finding that the advert was misleading, which would limit HEALA’s ability to run similar campaigns through ARB member channels. The Committee could also issue a partial ruling, clarifying how health claims or non-commercial advocacy should be treated under the advertising code. Whatever the outcome, both HEALA and the consumer would have the option to take the matter to the High Court for further review, keeping the door open for additional legal scrutiny.

HEALA, looks forward to engaging with other stakeholders including the National Department of Health, National Treasury, and the sugar industry. It is vital that we properly educate and engage all stakeholders on this and other serious issues that could have a dire effect on the health of our nation. The industry needs to start putting the lives of South Africans ahead of profits.

Ends

About HEALA
HEALA is a coalition of civil society organisations advocating for equitable access to affordable, nutritious food in South Africa by building a more just food system.

For media enquiries and interviews, please contact:

Mr. Neo Merafi: 071 359 9738 or Neo@maverickbrand.co.za

HEALA embarks on roadshows to highlight the importance Front-of-Packaging Labelling on packaged foods

Posted on July 31, 2025July 30, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

31 July 2025

The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) is calling on the South African government to ratify regulations that make it mandatory for foods high in salt, sugar and saturated fat to carry a clear warning label on the front of packages. This, so that consumers can be empowered to make informed, and healthier decisions when buying food – especially when trying to identify healthier options.

Shockingly, low-income South African adults consume, on average, 40% of their calories from ultra-processed products, according to a study published in Public Health Nutrition. Experts are clear on the dangers of eating ultra-processed foods. Two large European studies published in The BMJ Journal found direct links between lengthened exposure to ultra-processed foods and heart disease deaths, poor mental health, obesity and diabetes.

The National Department of Health (NdoH) has had almost two years to ratify the R3337 (formally referred to as the Draft Regulation Relating to Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs published by the South African National Department of Health on April 21, 2023). This set of regulations is aimed at introducing significant changes to how food products are labelled and advertised – particularly focusing on front-of-pack warning labels, marketing restrictions aimed at protecting children, and stricter guidelines for health-related claims.

South Africans have been waiting since the conclusion of the public consultation process on September 21, 2023. Time is up, our health is on a steady decline, and we are vulnerable to predatory food manufacturers that prioritise profit over the wellness of the masses.

HEALA will be embarking on roadshows in Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal to raise awareness on the importance of font-of-package warning labels. We are inviting all South Africans to add their voice to the call for the National Department of Health (NdoH) to protect our health. Each day without these regulations is a denial of vulnerable consumers’ rights to know what they are putting in their bodies.

“Some packaged foods put us at risk of dangerous, life-altering illnesses. South Africans have the right to understand the ingredients in the food they eat. For many consumers, back-of-pack labels are complicated and difficult to read, making it nearly impossible for people to choose healthier alternatives. Regulations will make it easier for us to readily identify foods that are bad for our health and choose better for ourselves. We urgently need easy-to-read warning labels that highlight the dangerous contents in some of these packaged foods,” urges HEALA CEO Nzama Mbalati.

Sign petition at heala.org

Roadshow Dates

Pretoria, Gauteng: 6 and 7August 2025

Atlyn Shopping Mall, Khoza St, Atteridgeville,

Giyani Limpopo: 12 and 13 August 2025

Masingita Mall, Giyani

Durban, KZN: 18 and 19 August 2025

The Workshop, Durban CBD

– Ends –

About HEALA: HEALA is a coalition of civil society organisations advocating for equitable access to affordable, nutritious food in South Africa by building a more just food system.

For media enquiries contact:

Mr. Neo Merafi: 071 359 9738 or Neo@maverickbrand.co.za

HEALA statement on Advertising Appeal Committee’s ruling on sugary drinks advert

Posted on July 9, 2025July 23, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

HEALA is studying the decision by the Advertising Appeal Committee. It is important to note that the Committee does not state that our campaign advert is misleading due to warning the public against the harms of fizzy drinks and fruit juice, and expressly provided that it would not be misleading to warn against the consumption of “excessive sugary drinks” or “regular consumption of sugary drinks”.

The Committee also cites the World Health Organisation in this analysis, indicating even “a single serving (at least 250 ml) of commonly consumed sugary drinks per day” is to be avoided for health reasons. For a full synthesis on the harms of sodas and fruit juice, we direct interested persons to HEALA.org, where we provide an easy-to-read summary of the most up-to-date science as co-developed by several world-leading nutritionists, medical doctors, and public health specialists.

We would like to thank the Advertising Appeal Committee for its express recognition and commendation for the work that HEALA does to further the interests of public health.

For media interviews please contact

Zukiswa Zimela: Communications Manager HEALA

Zukiswa[at]heala.org

WE ARE HIRING: Communications Strategist

Posted on June 12, 2025July 9, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

Position: Communications Strategist
Location: Remote
Contract Type: Consultancy
Reports to: Zukiswa Zimela – HEALA Communications Manager
Renumeration: Competitive, based on experience

About the Campaign:

The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) is looking for an experienced Communications Strategist to create a comprehensive communications strategy for our organisation. HEALA needs a dynamic strategic document that encompasses various advocacy priorities and aligns with our mission to advance and advocate for improved food policy to protect the quality of and access to nutritious food in South Africa.

Key Deliverables:

Develop a communications strategy:
Create a comprehensive communications strategy including the following:

A history of the Healthy Living Alliance
An analysis the current media landscape identifying both challenges and opportunities for engagement for earned media based on our advocacy priorities.
Provide a breakdown on messaging topics for the different advocacy priorities broken down by each audience.
Establish a monitoring and evaluation strategy for various media platforms
Provide an updated voice for HEALA’s communications that aligns with our identity as a people centred advocacy organisation

Qualifications and experience:

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years’ experience in the communications pace for NGOs, particularly in the context of advocacy, social justice, or public health campaigns. Proven success in developing and executing multi-faceted communications strategies.
Demonstrated experience in creating communications strategies for complex advocacy campaigns.

Desirable Skills:

Familiarity with international best practices especially within the global health or advocacy sectors.
Experience working with international and national donors, including multilateral organisations, bilateral agencies, and large philanthropic foundations.

Please declare any conflict of interest if you are or have been employed by any Food, Beverage or CMF company.

How to Apply:

Interested applicants should submit the following:

A current CV detailing relevant experience.
A cover letter outlining your approach to communications strategy development, including examples of similar campaigns you have worked on.
Any relevant case studies, reports, or portfolio materials that demonstrate your ability to create successful communications strategy.

Please send your application to zukiswa[at]heala.org by 25^th June 2025

Please note that the communications strategy is required by 30^th July 2025

Experts call for health associations to end formula industry sponsorship

Posted on May 5, 2025July 9, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

Researchers are urging health associations to stop accepting sponsorships from formula companies to mitigate the influence of the commercial milk formula (CMF) industry on breastfeeding rates in the country.

A recent study published in the Journal of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa noted that CMF industry’s involvement with health associations is not without conflict, noting that it can “threaten the autonomy and integrity of health professionals and their associations, potentially leading them to intentionally or inadvertently prefer or recommend CMF, or prescribing specialised CMF when these are unnecessary.”

“We’re not just calling on healthcare professionals, but also researchers, scientists, academics, universities to ensure that they don’t allow commercial milk formula manufacturers to promote their products by sponsoring associations and events organised by health professionals,” says Dr Katie Pereira-Kotze, Research Consultant at the Health Systems Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council.

South Africa’s rate of breastfeeding exclusively for babies under six dropped from 36% in 2016 to an estimated 22% in 2022. This falls short of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) fifty percent target for exclusive breastfeeding across the globe in 2025.

According to the National Department of Health (NdoH), new tactics in the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, including online marketing and health worker attitudes are some challenges to increasing the rates of breast-feeding.

The study also notes that when health experts and their groups get money from the CMF industry, this creates a conflict of interest (COI) and a subconscious duty. This could make health professionals more likely to support the industry’s commercial interests and marketing.

The CMF industry likely targets healthcare workers because for most parents, these are the first experts they meet when they become mothers.

“There is often a thin line between illegal tactics that break local and global marketing rules or legal loopholes that are completely wrong. Targeting health care workers in various ways is especially insidious because they know that caregivers, families, and communities rely on and trust the advice from them,” explains Angelika Grimbeek, Policy and Research Manager at the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA).

The researchers are calling on all healthcare facilities to join organisations such as the UCT Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, the United South African Neonatal Association and the Association for Dietetics in South Africa, “in setting a new standard for ethical conduct by publishing clear and strong public position statements aligned with global guidance”.

About HEALA

HEALA is a coalition of civil society organisations advocating for equitable access to affordable, nutritious food in South Africa by building a more just food system.

For media interviews please contact:

Zukiswa Zimela HEALA Communications Manager

0745210652 | zukiswa@heala.org

This World Health Day, HEALA calls on the government to protect our children’s health

Posted on April 7, 2025July 9, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

Our children are growing up in an increasingly unhealthy food environment. Experts warn that the increased marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children is leading to an increasingly obesogenic food landscape. This year’s theme, “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” highlights the need for the government to prioritise the health and well-being of our country’s most valuable asset: our children.

South Africa is facing a double burden of overnutrition and undernutrition. A staggering 27 percent of children in South Africa suffer from stunting.

According to experts, “Chronic child malnutrition is one of the leading causes of stunting in children, which can be irreversible. Stunting can have short- and long-term consequences, including developmental delays, poor cognitive function, and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.”

Conversely, an estimated 1 in 8 children under the age of 5 are overweight. This is due in part to the overconsumption of high-calorie diets rich in salt, sugar, and fats, leading to a childhood obesity crisis.

As it stands, South Africa does not have any laws that curtail the marketing of unhealthy food to children.

What can we do?

We are calling for the National Department of Health( NdoH) to fast-track the implementation of the R3337 regulations. Not only will these regulations make it easier for parents and caregivers to make informed decisions about the food they provide to their children, but they will also restrict the advertising of foods high in salt, sugar, and fats to children.

HEALA is also calling for the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to intensify its efforts to enhance the school nutrition program, instead of further socialising young children into the consumption of health-devastating foods. These foods jeopardize the physical, mental, and emotional performance of children, and thereby their futures.

A healthy nation is a prosperous nation, and our children deserve to be protected from predatory organisations seeking to target them for profit at the expense of their future health and well-being.

ENDS

ABOUT HEALA

HEALA is a coalition of civil society organisations advocating for equitable access to affordable, nutritious food in South Africa by building a more just food system.

For Media Interview please contact:

Zukiswa Zimela | Communications Manager HEALA

+2710 825 4403| zukiswa[@]heala.org

Budget 2025: Godongwana has shown complete contempt for ordinary people living in South Africa.

Posted on March 12, 2025March 12, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

Press Statement

12 March 2025

For Immediate Release

The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) is deeply disappointed with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s decision to capitulate to industry’s demands.

The decision to hike the value-added tax (VAT) instead of increasing the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) flies in the face of scientific evidence, which shows that the increase of the HPL is vital lifesaving intervention and an easy way to boost the fiscus. Godongwana has shown complete contempt for ordinary people living in South Africa.

The proposed increase in VAT is a regressive measure. Indeed, leading voices on tax justice have indicated how its increase will bring thousands, if not close to millions, in our country closer to poverty and economic disaster.

We have lost an opportunity to save the lives of thousands of South Africans. We have lost the opportunity to protect the most vulnerable amongst us, the poor. Since its inception in 2018, the levy has contributed R10bn to the fiscus and has the potential to do more. This is money which could be spent on various health promotion interventions.

Treasury itself identified the levy as a tool reduce obesity and non-communicable diseases, an out-of-control epidemic in South Africa costing the state billions of Rands in health care and affecting low-income members of our society the most.

This missed opportunity will cost millions of South Africans their lives, their welfare and their finances. It is the responsibility of the government to protect the lives and overall wellbeing of the people it serves, not coddling an industry which has been taking advantage of the government’s good will.

The decision to implement a further moratorium after the Finance Minister’s decision in 2023 to place a two-year moratorium on an increase of the HPL points to the government’s leniency to the sugar industry and its continued decision to pander to minority interests. It is very clear that the sugar industry is being treated with kid gloves. This is despite evidence of mismanagement and graft which has caused more damage to the industry than the HPL ever could. We demand Treasury to reevaluate its decision and follow the science.

“It is deeply disappointing that the minister missed an opportunity to increase HPL to 20% to boost the fiscus and instead chose the option to rather increase VAT, which will hit hard in the pockets of the poorest of the poor, who are the most affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and will put a strain on the health system. We all are experiencing non-communicable diseases in one way or the other. Either oneself, relative, family member, friend, colleague are who is living or have lost their lives due to diabetes, heart diseases or cancer. It has become clear to the Minister of Finance that the lives and livelihoods of South Africans are less important than the profits of the sugar industry. It is obvious that the sugar industry, like it’s counterparts in the alcohol and tobacco industry, will continue to disregard the effects their products have on South Africans”, says Nzama Mbalati, HEALA CEO.

South Africans are dying and will continue to do so unless urgent intervention takes place. HEALA will continue to fight for the realisation of Food Justice For ALL!

About HEALA:

For media interviews contact

Zukiswa Zimela Communications Manager HEALA

0745210652 | zukiswa[@]heala.org

Why are South African classrooms and children becoming fast food billboards?

Posted on February 27, 2025March 14, 2025 by Zukiswa Zimela

Joint Civil Society Statement

As civil society organisations committed to food justice, children’s health and education rights, we are alarmed by the recent handover of McDonald’s-branded ‘Mi Desk’ desks to two Cape Town schools, facilitated by the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube. This follows similar corporate-branded desk donations from Old Mutual and Hollywood Bets. We are concerned about this disturbing trend, which must end now.

The McDonald’s donation of desks to schools should not be seen as charity. It is junk food marketing targeting vulnerable children. At a time when South Africa faces a compounding crisis of malnutrition, obesity, and a non-communicable disease epidemic, allowing fast food branding into schools is grossly irresponsible and negligent. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) should be safeguarding children’s health, not exposing them to the marketing of high-fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods under the guise of corporate donations. Additionally, McDonald’s is using the bodies of children as unpaid, walking billboards for the junk food market. By slapping its logo on the MiDesk, it ensures that its brand is paraded through communities, at no cost, while profiting from the very eating habits that harm children’s health.

“Minister Gwarube’s decisions cannot be a compromise between private interests and protecting our children from harmful advertising. Her responsibility is to serve the public and the constitution, which means keeping private interests in check and ensuring big businesses don’t profit at the expense of our children,” says Palesa Ramolefo, of Amandla.mobi.

Over the past 20 years, we have seen South African markets flooded by fast and ultra-processed foods. Foods high in sugar, salt and fat, and low in nutrients are helping to fuel the obesity epidemic – with nearly one in every four children under five now either overweight or obese. Sophisticated marketing campaigns tap into children’s deepest desires and longing for love, family, friendship and belonging, while relatively low prices make fast foods even more desirable amidst widespread poverty and deepening inequality. These branded desks are a form of advertising for McDonald’s. They instrumentalise children as consumers of unhealthy food, and contribute to normalising the routine consumption of fast food.

“The DBE should be intensifying its efforts to enhance the school nutrition programme, not helping to further socialise young children into the consumption of health-devastating foods. These foods jeopardise the physical, mental and emotional performance of children, and thereby their futures” says Zukiswa Zimela of Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA).

In its updated guidelines on policies to protect children from the harmful impact of food marketing released in 2023, the World Health Organization notes that children’s rights, including their right to health, their access to safe and nutritious food, and their right to be free from exploitation, are undermined by the marketing of HFSS foods – the category into which McDonalds’ food falls. As such, countries that are party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, like South Africa, have a legal duty to ensure that these rights are protected and fulfilled and that business respects them.

It cannot be said that our government is adequately performing this duty if the DBE actively supports the direct marketing of McDonald’s food to children. This incident demonstrates that the South African government urgently needs to finalise regulations and develop legislation to restrict the marketing of unhealthy food in general, and to children in particular, aswas done by other countries globally including Canada (Quebec), Norway, Iran, United Kingdom, Chile, Mexico, Ireland, Argentina, Portugal, South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Spain, and Sweden.

Why are corporations donating school furniture? McDonald’s branded desk donation illustrates the dangers of austerity and the consequent cuts to the education budget – it incentivises corporate actors to encroach into spaces abandoned by the state. It is no coincidence that the ‘beneficiaries’ of these desks are black children in rural and working-class communities. Gaps opened up by deliberate disinvestment are then given a band-aid by corporate ‘philanthropy’. But this is not generosity – it is branding, which also further promotes unhealthy behaviours in children, like gambling in thecase of Hollywood Bets-branded desks. Such corporate actors are turning classrooms into advertising spaces and the children who carry the desks when folded into bulky bags into walking advertisements while distracting from the structural failures of the government to fulfil its constitutional duties.

This is the flipside of austerity in public education. Corporate charity is not a substitute for government responsibility. The only sustainable solution is for the National Treasury to properly fund education, and ensure that every child has access to dignified learning conditions without strings attached.

We call for immediate action:

The Minister and Department of Basic Education must immediately withdraw support for the branded MiDesk donation, recall the branded desks, ensure that the provincial education department supplies desks to the school as per its mandate, and desist from any such partnerships with Big Food and the gambling industry in the future;

The Minister must issue a public explanation of the contents and mechanics of these branded partnerships in terms of the concerns we have raised, and actively engage with us as concerned civil society organisations on this matter;
The South African government should urgently finalise the draft regulations R3337 on the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs, and the Audio and Audio Visual Content Services White Paper both of which include provisions to protect children from the marketing of foods that are harmful to health. In addition, Regulation R3337 needs to be strengthened to prohibit the marketing of fast and ultra-processed foods in child-centred settings such as schools and early learning programmes;
The government must strengthen regulations around corporate social investments to ensure that they areethical, transparent, and not transactional. Ethical corporate support should strengthen and be subordinate to, not substitute, the state’s obligations to learners.

DBE should desist from selling children a sick future. Schools should be safe spaces that protect children from the marketing of products that are harmful to their health, not open markets for corporate exploitation and expansion.

[ENDS]