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

Posted on 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 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

Press Statement: The TRUE Cost of Diabetes

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

This World Diabetes Day, celebrated annually on 14 November, Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) wishes to draw attention to diabetes care, as well as urge the government to continue reinforcing those policies that contribute towards lessening the plight of those living with this non-communicable disease. 

Diabetes affects 12% of the adult population in South Africa, and is the second leading cause of death after tuberculosis. Left untreated or detected late diabetes can wreak havoc on individuals’ health and livelihoods, as well as the national fiscus. Diabetes, for diagnosed patients alone, costs South Africa’s health system about R2.7 billion. Severe complications associated with diabetes range from loss of sight, strokes, and amputation of legs to heart conditions, nerve damage, and kidney problems – to name a few.

One of those affected by this life-changing disease is Alinah. In 2010, Alinah was diagnosed with diabetes. Following the diagnosis, the sixty-four-year-olds life changed forever when her leg was amputated. Alinah attributes her condition to a poor diet and the over-consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. 

HEALA fully supports the 2024 World Diabetes Day theme: ‘Diabetes and Well-being’, and further casts a spotlight on the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) being a pivotal first step in ensuring that store and supermarket shelves lessen the temptation of sugar-sweetened beverages for consumers. 

“It is no coincidence that we are seeing the growing epidemic of diabetes in South Africa. In townships, villages and some urban areas, supermarkets are saturated with vigorously marketed, cheap sugary drinks – the likes of energy drinks, fruit juices, and fizzy drinks. In some areas, particularly where there is limited access to clean running water, people opt to quench their thirst with sugary drinks because some can be as cheap as below R10. Therefore, it is important that we enable consumers to move to healthier alternatives instead of resorting to sugary drinks as an easily-accessible option,” notes HEALA CEO Nzama Mbalati. 

The South African government introduced the HPL in 2018 to curb the consumption of sugary drinks – which are widely known to be associated with ill health. “On the one hand, consumers are exempted from HPL when they do not purchase sugary drinks. On the other hand, it is an opportunity for manufacturers to reduce the sugar content in their products, which then exempts them from paying the levy,” explains Mbalati, adding that HPL is a proven success, per research studies conducted in the townships of Langa and Soweto. “The studies found a two third reduction in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, particularly among the youth and adults, since the inception of HPL six years ago.”

If the HPL is increased and expanded, the number of people like Babalo, who says his love of sugar-sweetened beverages is one of the things that led to his amputation could be reduced. The 50-year-old has diabetes and high blood pressure. These illnesses could be caused by drinking too many sugary drinks. He says he supports raising the tax. 

“I appreciate the government’s efforts to make fizzy drinks more expensive because they are trying to save people from diabetes,” he says.

HEALA is calling on the government to protect the HPL and increase this life-changing intervention to 20% and expand the levy to include 100% fruit juices to the lives of ordinary South Africans. 

Ends.

WATCH THE TRUE COST OF DIABETES

Keep the focus on the health of South Africans.

Posted on by Bilal Mpazayabo

By Bilal Mpazayabo | 22 October 2024

Media Statement 

22 October 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Keep the focus on the health of South Africans.

HEALA acknowledges the recent comments from SA Canegrowers, which attempt to question the nature of our organisation as not being “home-grown.” This diversionary tactic is timed to shift attention away from the proven, life-saving effects of the South African Health Promotion Levy (HPL) and the irrefutable connection between excessive sugar consumption and diseases such as diabetes. With the mid-term budget speech approaching, it is vital to stay focused on what matters most: the health of South Africans.

HEALA is fully transparent regarding its staff, organisational journey, and funding sources—all publicly available. Moreover, we collaborate extensively with South African universities and local NGOs in our health promotion efforts, which cover multiple aspects of the food system. These partners, like HEALA, are transparent about their funding, and it is essential to note that none of our funders profit from our food justice advocacy. It is important to underline that philanthropy support has always played a critical role in responding to socio-economic needs in this country and that HEALA’s work is not an exception. In the spirit of transparency, we ask SA Canegrowers to disclose the origin of their funding and confirm whether it is free from any profit-driven motives.

The attempt to distract from the substance of this debate is telling. The policy rationale for the Health Promotion Levy is backed by a wide range of experts, including the World Health Organization, the South African Department of Health, the Treasury, economists, and public health specialists locally and internationally. Sugar taxation has been shown to reduce the amount of sugar added to beverages, discourage the consumption of sugary drinks, and generate government revenue—all while promoting public health. This model has been successfully used for tobacco and alcohol taxes, and it is no different for sugar.

In a country where more than 4.2 million people live with diabetes—now the second-leading cause of death after tuberculosis—this is a critical health intervention. The data is clear: households facing food insecurity are also often dealing with weight-related diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. These diseases not only threaten lives but also impose crippling financial burdens on families already struggling to make ends meet.

An honest, home-grown debate on the HPL should focus on these realities. It should prioritise South Africans’ long-term health and financial well-being, particularly those most affected by non-communicable diseases. We urge SA Canegrowers and other stakeholders to engage in this debate with the same transparency and commitment to public health that HEALA brings to the table.

“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:

Bilal Mpazayabo, HEALA Social Media Coordinator

Bilal@heala.org | 0612374651

We can’t keep pretending sodas aren’t bad for our health

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

Media Statement

01 October 2024

For Immediate Release 

On 30 September, the SA Canegrowers Association publicly questioned whether a tax on sodas is intended to be a health tax. Higgins Mdluli, the Chair of SA Canegrowers’ Association, asks: “At what point do we look at the data with common sense and admit the tax is not working?” He asks this after referring to two local studies, (both which are used to support the success of the tax, by the way) because: one study found that the single intervention of the sugar tax did not fix the whole problem of bad diets in South Africa, so people are still gaining weight. The second found that people buy less sodas, and then buy other products with that money instead. A finding one would think speaks to the fact that consumers substitute purchasing: so a job in one industry where fewer products are being bought, will be replaced by a job in another industry, where more products are being purchased.

There is a lot to be said about the evidence about sugar-sweetened beverage taxation. Given that the Health Promotion Levy has only been in effect for six years, and that changes in population diet and health outcomes are usually measured in decades, there is comprehensive evidence to show it is already working. We know that the Levy has led to a reduction in soda purchases (especially in lower socio-economic income groups) and a reduction in sugar added to sodas by companies.  Evidence shows that people are buying less sugary drinks, and when they do those drinks are less sugary.  

We have this evidence, despite successful lobbying from the industry that has led to a Levy almost half of the recommended rate by WHO, and without it being increased for inflation. We know that after decades, sugar-sweetened beverage taxation rates are more supported than ever, and that an increasing body of evidence shows it works.

The sugar industry relies on studies – funded by them – to show that there are job losses in their sector “due to the HPL”. It would be refreshing to see these studies being reported accurately to reflect the whole set of circumstances that lead to forecasted or modelled job losses. Significant sugar dumping in South Africa, droughts, the impact of the Durban riots and the corporate fraud of Tongaat Hulett (leading to 5000 retrenchments) are all cited as underlying reasons by their own studies. The actual job portion of job losses attributed to the HPL are disputed. 

For far too long industry has been allowed to aggressively fight health promotion interventions across the globe by making deceptive economic threats, supporting junk science that minimizes the health impacts of their products and other strategies to block and undermine SB tax- advocacy efforts by influencing governments, the public and the media. South Africa is hanging on the edge of a non-communicable disease cliff.  We know that the overconsumption of sweetened beverages is bad for our health. It is common sense for government to take steps to reduce consumption. We can no longer allow industry to bully, coerce and misinform decision makers for the benefit of their bottom line.

“ENDS”

For media interviews contact 

Zukiswa Zimela Communications Manager

0745210652 | zukiswa[@]heala.com

This heritage month HEALA is shining the spotlight on food sovereignty

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

Food is a fundamental part of our cultural identities. By allowing big food to homogenise our plates we run the risk of finding ourselves losing  the rich tapestry of our collective identities. This heritage month, HEALA is highlighting the importance of reclaiming our food sovereignty.

This however, this is near impossible given the proliferation of cheap, addictive ultra-processed food. HEALA is calling on government to use funds from unhealthy food taxes to subsidise healthier alternatives.  Since its inception in 2018 the Health Promotion Levy has raised billions  for the fiscus. The money can be used to implement health promotion measures such as subsidising healthy food and making it accessible to ordinary South Africans. It is widely excepted that our diets have changed significantly in the last few years.

These changes have led to a an alarming trend of increased deaths due to non-communicable diseases. More than six out of 10 women in South Africa are overweight or obese, a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases. Overall, the World Health Organisation estimates that almost one in three South Africans were obese in 2016. About 13% of children in South Africa are also overweight – more than twice the global average.

According to researchers “economic development has displaced traditional dietary patterns and driven a shift in food preferences, resulting in the nutrition transition”. This change in the food environment is synonymous with a proliferation of packaged foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, otherwise known as ultra-processed foods and undermines dietary patterns based on minimally and unprocessed food and processed culinary ingredients. 

READ MORE: An increase in the Health Promotion Levy will not only reduce the consumption of unhealthy sugary drinks, but it can also be used to improve the health of the country’s children.

Since the dawn of democracy, experts note that our diets have shifted towards an increase in sugar-sweetened beverages, processed and packaged foods, sweet and savoury snacks, and increased meat consumption. We have moved away from consuming vegetables. These shifts in food consumption are concerning as it leads to more fat, sugar and salt intake and negative impacts on public health.

“We know that half of South Africans are dying from non-communicable disease at the moment, and that Statistics South Africa has already said this is our next looming health crisis,” says Dr Petronell Kruger, Programmes’ Manager at Healthy Living Alliance. This begs the question, why can we take diseases like Covid-19 seriously to the extent of lockdowns, but we don’t see serious government intervention to protect our lives and our cultural heritage.”

“Ends”

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%). 

This World Obesity Day we urgently need to confront the scourge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in South Africa.

Posted on by Zukiswa Zimela

Deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are surging worldwide. In South Africa, deaths from NCDs increased by almost 60 percent from 1997 to 2018. Urgent action is needed. We know that we can’t solve the problem of NCDs with isolated, small and convenient interventions in individual lifestyles. The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) is calling for a package of bold interventions with a systemic overview of the issue of obesity.

Research shows that an estimated 1 in 8 South African children are overweight which is double the global average. Experts warn that children experiencing overweight and obesity in early childhood run the risk of experiencing obesity as adults. Obesity is associated with other dangerous diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

One of the most urgent interventions needed to curtail the explosion of NCDs in South Africa is the regulation of the food environment. The government needs to strongly regulate the food environment in favour of consumers to curb the consumption of unhealthy food, which is often heavily marketed to South Africa’s poor.

HEALA is asking the government to urgently increase the Health Promotion Levy (HPL) on select sugar-sweetened beverages to 20 percent and include fruit juices in the HPL. Currently, the levy remains at a paltry 11% and has not seen a significant increase since it was introduced in 2018.

Secondly, the National Department of Health needs to speed up the adoption of effective front-of-package warning labels on unhealthy foods to help consumers make better choices and live healthier lives. Several studies have shown that people globally and in South Africa have trouble reading traditional nutritional labels.

“The food industry spends billions of rands every year to reach children with their product marketing. They also aggressively lobby against public health policies aimed at promoting good health. We know the food industry would not spend billions of Rands fighting public health interventions that are not effective,” says Acting Interim CEO Nzama Mbalati.

What we eat is one of the biggest contributors to obesity. According to this study, our modern diets of calorie-dense foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and high-fat and high-carb foods have been linked to obesity.

“It is unfortunate that government perpetuates the notion that public health interventions should first and foremost have economic benefits. We believe that the people’s well-being and dignity should be enough of a reason to push forward with solid regulations,” Mbalati says.

Sporadic interventions on this issue will do nothing to bring us back from the brink of the NCD cliff, what we need are sustained, evidence-based actions that look at the entire food system and address all the systematic causes of obesity in the country.

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 please contact 

Zukiswa Zimela Communications Manager HEALA

0745210652 | zukiswa@heala.org

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