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Author: Zukiswa Zimela

HEALA extends a warm welcome to the newly elected Health and Finance Ministers, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Mr Enoch Godongwana. 

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

In congratulating both Ministers, HEALA also urges them to prioritise the implementation of evidence-based policies that will address the triple burden of hunger, food insecurity, and obesity – and ultimately improve the health of ordinary South Africans. 

To date, South Africa faces alarming levels of hunger, food insecurity, and obesity stemming from a broken food system. Globally, ultra-processed foods high in salt, sugar, and fat are more available than ever before, particularly in low and middle-income countries such as South Africa. Diets high in these components significantly increase the risk of people developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. 

According to Statistics South Africa, more and more people are dying from NCDs than ever before. Diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease rank among the top ten leading causes of natural deaths in South Africa, based on the latest figures from 2017.

“HEALA particularly wishes for the Health Minister, Dr Motsoaledi, to speed up regulation on food labelling to assist ordinary South Africans in making informed food choices, to initiate coordinated mechanisms and resource mobilisation towards government and civil society as well as support improvement of the school food environment, champion taxation and regulation of unhealthy products such as sugary drinks, tobacco and alcohol,” says HEALA CEO Nzama Mbalati. 

HEALA believes the government has ample evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) and Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPL) in addressing many of the health issues plaguing ordinary South Africans.

Previous HPL evidence has shown that public health policies, which increase the price of harmful products, can reduce consumption. However, there is potential to do even more. Government can allocate the funds generated from the levy towards addressing issues of hunger and poverty by increasing the Child Grant and subsidising healthier foods.  

HEALA calls on Finance Minister Mr Godongwana to protect the gains made by the levy by increasing it to 20%, and expanding it to include fruit juices. We also urge Health Minister Dr Motsoaledi to fast-track the implementation of easy-to-read warning labels and empower ordinary South Africans to make better food choices.

In South Africa, essential nutritional information is buried at the back of canned products, boxes, and bottles, making it difficult for consumers to read or decipher the food labels. Implementing front-of-package labelling can translate necessary nutritional information into simple language and prominently display it on the front of food products.

The FOPL regulation will also protect children from predatory marketing practices employed by food manufacturers who use fancy marketing strategies to seduce vulnerable children into being addicted to unhealthy food.

The South African health system is buckling under the weight of NCDs. Two years ago, researchers found that “overweight and obesity cost South Africa’s health system R33 billion (US$1.9bn) a year. This represents 15.38% of government health expenditure and is equivalent to 0.67% of GDP. Annual per person cost of overweight and obesity was R2 769”. The cost of inaction in addressing this issue for both the state and the individual is too high. 

 HEALA remains committed to holding government leaders accountable for their responsibility in ensuring that the food environment benefits ordinary people rather than industry profits.

We are calling on the newly elected ministers to put food justice on the political agenda and create a healthier, more equitable future for all South Africans.

“HEALA is confident in Dr Motsoaledi’s expertise, enthusiasm and the political will he demonstrated in his previous tenure as Health Minister,  during which he prioritised pivotal public health policies and initiatives aimed at improving the health of all South Africans,” concludes Mbalati. 

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 interviews contact

Zukiswa Zimela | HEALA Communications Manager

zukiswa[@]heala.org

Announcement of the new HEALA CEO

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

The HEALA Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Nzama Mbalati as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective from the 1st of July 2024. Nzama has been serving with the organisation since April 2018 and has served as the Programmes Manager and recently the Interim CEO driving the overall HEALA strategy.

His professional experience encompasses over a decade in social justice, health, food and nutrition advocacy. He has a degree in Communication Science and Advance Project Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA) Graduate School of Business Leadership. He has significant experience in coalition building, community mobilisation, communication and management. He has spearheaded the conceptualisation of the food justice framing in South Africa’s food policy space and the establishment of HEALA Food Justice Coalition. Together with the HEALA team, Nzama has led the establishment of HEALA as a registered non-profit company two years ago.

During this time of transition, the HEALA Board appointed Nzama as Interim CEO for seven months from the 1st of December 2023. During this period, the Board provided important support to Nzama including regular engagement around his performance, in particular the transition from operational management to strategic oversight and strengthening of the organisational arrangements. A coach was appointed to support Nzama over the period to support his professional development. The Board also established a performance and human resource management process and is satisfied with the report of deliverables.

Please join us in congratulating Nzama on the appointment of his role and to wish him all the best and continued success.

Your sincerely,

Professor Scott Drimie HEALA Board Chairperson

Media Statement: No evidence that the Health Promotion Levy has led to job losses

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

Following the SA Canegrowers Association’s unsubstantiated claim that the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) has led to the loss of 16 000 jobs, the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) feels it is important to dispute the claim as baseless and unfounded. 

Researchers from SAMRC/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science, Priceless SA, used a single-group interrupted time series analyses using the Quarterly Labour Force Survey data from Statistics South Africa to find out how many jobs were lost due to the implementation of the HPL. The study, released in 2024 found no evidence of job losses due to the levy. 

The true cost of sugar consumption

The science is clear that the over-consumption of sugar in liquid form is highly dangerous for our health. Evidence shows that “Independent of the “empty” calories from sugary drinks, the sugars in sugary drinks alter the body’s metabolism, affecting insulin, cholesterol, and metabolites that cause high blood pressure and inflammation. These changes to the body increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, tooth decay, and liver disease.”  

The aim of the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) is to reduce local demand and consumption of refined white sugar and safeguard the health of all South Africans. 

South Africa is seeing an explosion of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases like diabetes, and heart disease. An estimated 7 in 10 women and 1 in 3 men in the country are obese and overweight. South Africans cannot be forced to continue to consume high levels of sugar for the sake of the sugar industry. The same industry, which laments the so called effects of the HPL, has been rocked by numerous scandals of mismanagement and fraud.

Robbing Peter to pay Paul

While the SA Canegrowers Association misrepresents the truth, tax payers and the state are bearing the huge cost of overweight and obesity. A 2022 study from Priceless SA found that these diseases “are costing South Africa’s health system R33 billion (US$1.9bn) a year. This represents 15.38% of government health expenditure and is equivalent to 0.67% of GDP. Annual per person cost of overweight and obesity is R2,769.”

On the other hand, from its inception on 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2021, the HPL has generated R7.9 billion in cumulative revenue from domestically produced and imported products. Specifically, collections in 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 were R3.2 billion, R2.5 billion and R2.1 billion respectively.  An increase in the HPL to the recommended 20% could almost double the revenue collected by Treasury.

Pivoting to Biofuels

Times are changing. South Africa needs to join countries like India who have moved away from a consumption model to keep the industry afloat towards the production of ethanol for biofuel production. The sugar industry has been given two years to focus on diversification by the government. Currently there is been no proof that they have used that time in good faith.

Change will come

Obesity is a complex issue that requires a multipronged approach. Slowing down and reversing the trend will take some time. We cannot allow the trend to continue unabated. It is clear that the government urgently needs to put in place evidence-based solutions to get the process started, including increasing the levy to 20% and adding fruit juices in the HPL.

In less than a decade since its implementation the HPL has had positive results. Following the implementation of the HPL young adults in Langa in the Western Cape aged 18-39 years reported they drank 37% less sugar sweetened beverages and reduced sugar intake by nearly a third (31%). 

World Hunger Day — a chance for South Africa to vote for food justice

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

South Africa faces a nutritional crisis of a double burden of under and overnutrition. Over half a million South African households that have children under five years old face hunger every day.  This has led to a quarter of our children being stunted (an indicator of chronic malnutrition).

Stunting does not only disadvantage the individual into adulthood but also ultimately affects national development due to its health and economic consequences. Children who are stunted at two years old are likely to be stunted as adults. They are also at high risk of developing chronic diseases and obesity in adulthood (let’s not forget that 1 in 8 South African children under five years are already overweight or obese).

As these kids’ brains have not developed properly, a magnitude of intellectual issues persist such as reduced cognitive ability, fewer schooling years achieved, poor attainment of job opportunities, and lower wages later in life.  This proposes many economic consequences for individuals, households, and our country, including higher healthcare costs.

Read the rest of the article in Daily Maverick.

Chew On This Episode 1: How is Big Food violating our right to nutritious food?

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela
Youtube video

South Africa suffers from high levels of hunger, food insecurity, and obesity — all of which are consequences of the country’s broken food system. It is only by fixing South Africa’s broken food system will the country be able to guarantee everyone equitable access to affordable, nutritious food. This webinar explores the role Big Food plays in our ability to access nutritious food and how evidence based policies can address these issues.

Nestlé Sugar coating the truth about sugar content in baby food and formula

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

New research shows that Food Giant Nestle is intentionally exposing young children from developing countries like South Africa to foods containing high levels of sugar. The researchers found that biscuit flavoured baby cereal South Africa contains 6 grams of sugar while the same product sold in Switzerland, where Nestlé is headquartered, is available with no added sugar. 

Alarmingly the report noted that “Cerelac wheat-based cereals for six-month-old babies sold by Nestlé in Germany and the UK has no added sugar, while the same product contains over 5 grams per serving in Ethiopia and 6 grams in Thailand.” The same cereal sold in South Africa contained 4 grams of sugar per serving.

It is a well known fact that the overconsumption of sugar is linked to obesity. South Africa is facing a growing crisis of childhood obesity. 1 in 8 children under the age of 5 are obese. This alarming statistic points to a grim future for these children, who are likely to grow into a cohort of adults where every second person is obese. Being overweight or obese is a well-known driver of diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

With low levels of nutrition literacy, it is difficult for ordinary people to make sense of the current nutrition labels on the back of food products. Additionally, parents and caregivers who want to make the best choices for their children are often lured in by false claims of healthfulness and enrichment made by food producers.

The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) reiterates its call for the ratification of front-of-pack warning label (FOPWL) regulations on foods containing high levels of salt, sugar and saturated fat to protect caregivers from predatory food organisations like Nestlé. In 2023, the the National Department of Health (NdoH) published R3337, putting forward a draft regulation to introduce front-of-pack labelling in South Africa. These labels are intended to make it easier for everyone to identify these foods and make better food choices for themselves and their families.

Additionally, the regulation makes provision for marketing restrictions to be placed on foods bearing a warning label. This will protect consumers from unfounded health claims made by food producers.

“HEALA continues to call for South African government to strengthen their regulation and policy framework to safe guards the health of the children which is under the risk to major unhealthy food producers such as Nestle. We calling for government to review and tightening the Marketing Restriction to Children Regulation, urgently promulgate regulation on unhealthy food through FOWPL, policies that make schools a healthy food zones, protect academia from conflict of interests by food industry,” says Nzama Mbalati, HEALA, acting interim CEO.

Additional sugar was not only found in baby cereals, added sugar was also detected in Nido powdered milk marketed to children from the age on one.

Nestlé’s has a history of intentionally violating regulations put in place to protect the young. South Africa has regulations in place that prevent companies from aggressively promoting consumption of ultra-processed food, including products with a high sugar content. However, in 2021 Nestlé was caught flouting R991 regulations meant to safeguard the nutrition and health of South African children by organising a webinar with a potential giveaway to parents who attended. The department’s regulations are meant to safeguard the nutrition and health of South African children.

“Unethical behaviour in sales and marketing is something Nestlé is familiar with. Being the world’s largest food and beverage corporation, Nestlé has made a reputable name and made excessive profits for themselves at the expense of children and adults health globally,” Mbalati says.

While positioning itself as the solution to serious, life threatening issues like hidden hunger , Nestle pushes products with added sugars to food insecure children in developing countries.

HEALA is urging the government to do everything in its power to protect South Africa’s most vulnerable. The consequences of allowing big food companies to run rampant in our country are terrifying and should be a concern for us all. 

END

About HEALA: 

HEALA is a coalition of civil society organisations that advocates for equitable access to affordable and nutritious food for all in South Africa.

For interview requests please contact:

Zukiswa Zimela, Communications Manager HEALA

Zukiswa[at]heala.org |

WEBINAR: My Health, My Right: The Importance of regulating the food environment to eliminate over and under nutrition

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

HEALA cordially invites you to our upcoming webinar scheduled for April 24 at 15.30 SAST. The webinar titled “My Health, My Right: The Importance of regulating the food environment to eliminate over and under nutrition” is aimed at highlighting the grim reality of the food environment in South Africa. Currently, the country is battling a double burden of over and under-nutrition.

Experts warn that Ultra-Processed Food consumption may be associated with a higher risk of obesity, overweight, and stunting in low and middle-income countries. New research by Dr. Tamryn Frank shows that low-income South African adults consume, on average, 40% of their calories from ultra-processed products. We live in a society where eight million children go hungry every day. Dr. Edzani Mphaphuli will discuss the dangers of stunting and malnutrition for the wellbeing of children throughout their lives.

HEALA’s Programmes Manager, Petronell Kruger, will speak about the need for evidence-based regulations to fix South Africa’s broken food system and guarantee everyone equitable access to affordable, nutritious food.

RSVP HERE

How taxation and subsidies can work together to ensure that South Africans have healthier diets

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

The theme for this year is My Health, My Right. The theme according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) “was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, [and] good nutrition”.

South Africa is facing an alarming scourge of under-and over nutrition. Over 1 in 4 children in the country are stunted, while 1 in 8 children under the age of 5 are obese and overweight. On the other hand, almost 70 percent of adult women in the country have overweight and obesity.

“While eight million children go hungry every day and a quarter of all children are stunted, we also see that one in eight children is overweight. According to statistics, these children will grow into a cohort of adults where every second person is obese,” explains Petronell Kruger, Programmes Manager at the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA)

Being overweight or obese is a well-known driver of diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

What can be done?

Nutrition is one of the most important contributors to good health, HEALA believes that urgent interventions by government need to be put in place to urgently address these issues. Research shows that subsidising healthy food, which can be more expensive than unhealthy, energy dense alternatives, has been shown to decrease the consumption of unhealthy food and lead to healthier life outcomes for all.

Where will the money come from?

Experts suggest that taxes from SSB such as South Africa’s Health Promotion Levy (HPL) can be used to fund various health promotion intervention such as children’s diet and nutrition programmes and subsidising of healthy food.

From its inception on 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2021, the HPL has generated R7.9 billion in cumulative revenue from domestically produced and imported products. Specifically, collections in 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 were R3.2 billion, R2.5 billion and R2.1 billion respectively. An increase in the HPL to the recommended 20% could almost double the revenue collected by Treasury.

Why do we need to do this?

We need to end food poverty and we need policies to help South Africans eat less unhealthy food. Government must take steps to end hunger and poor nutrition.

OP-ED: Government must take steps to end hunger in SA

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

Last month we commemorated 25 years of the SA constitution – a document that was supposed to usher in a generation of South Africans living in dignity, equality and freedom.

However, we see a dangerous dualism in SA: while eight million children go hungry every day and a quarter of all children are stunted, we also see that one in eight children is overweight.

According to statistics, these children will grow into a cohort of adults where every second person is obese. Being overweight or obese is a well-known driver of diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

More than half of South Africans are dying of these diseases each year, which Stats SA has termed a “looming health crisis”. At first glance, the idea of a society where half of the population is overweight, while severe hunger persists seems dystopian, akin to the Hunger Games, where the rich gorge themselves and the poor fight to survive.

READ MORE: This World Obesity Day We Urgently Need To Confront The Scourge Of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) In South Africa.

But the reality is that in individual households, both co-exist. Low income households are more likely to purchase energy dense, nutritionally poor food, which contributes to weight gain.

Strong evidence has emerged that food companies that sell low nutrition products target poorer families through marketing and retail outlet placement – the “double burden of malnutrition”.

Human rights are the idea that human beings are entitled to certain protections. After World War 2, the first modern international instrument setting out these rights was created – the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This article was published on SowetanLive on the 4th of April 2024. Click HERE to read the full oped.