This webinar explores why protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding is essential for the health and wellbeing of women, children, and communities. Through expert insights and engaging discussion, we examine the policies, systems, and collective action needed to create environments where every mother can breastfeed with the support she deserves. The webinar forms part of HEALA’s Nourished Truth campaign, which aims to empower people with evidence-based information about nutrition, food systems, and public health while challenging misinformation and advocating for policies that create healthier food environments for everyone.

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Yet instead of helping them make informed choices, current food labels are confusing, cluttered and difficult to understand. Women should not have to spend valuable time deciphering complex nutrition information simply to protect their families’ health.

South Africa’s food environment is stacked against consumers. Researchers at the University of Cape Town warn that global food companies have flooded the market with cheap ultra-processed foods that are high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, contributing to the country’s growing obesity crisis.

Front-of-Pack Warning Labels offer a simple solution. Clear, black-and-white warning labels placed on the front of food packages make it easy to identify products high in sugar, salt, saturated fat or containing artificial sweeteners. They reduce the burden on consumers by providing quick, easy-to-understand information, regardless of literacy level or language.

Non-communicable diseases are a women’s issue

Women bear a disproportionate burden of South Africa’s obesity epidemic. An estimated 68% of Black African women over the age of 15 were overweight or obese in 2016, compared with 31% of men.

Obesity significantly increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. These illnesses affect not only women’s own health but also the wellbeing of the families who depend on them.

Giving women clear information at the point of purchase empowers them to make healthier choices for themselves and their families.

Government must act

The National Department of Health published draft regulations (R3337) for Front-of-Pack Warning Labels for public comment in 2023. Nearly three years later, South Africans are still waiting.

“Government has had these draft regulations since 2023. Every month of delay is another month that South African women are left to decode confusing labels on their own, while the food industry continues to profit from that confusion. This Women’s Month, we are not asking for charity, we are asking government to finish what it started and urgently ratify R3337,” says Nomfundo Mbuli, Programmes Manager at HEALA.

Front-of-Pack Warning Labels are a practical, evidence-based public health intervention. They are designed to help busy, budget-conscious consumers make informed decisions in seconds, while encouraging manufacturers to produce healthier foods.

This Women’s Month, HEALA calls on government to urgently ratify the Front-of-Pack Warning Label regulations. South African women already carry the responsibility of feeding their families. They deserve the tools to do so with confidence.

Let women choose. Ratify R3337 now.

For media enquiries please contact 

Zukiswa Zimela Communications Manager, (HEALA)

Zukiswa[@]heala.org 0745210652

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This World Breastfeeding Week, join us to create sustainable support systems and prioritise breastfeeding! Our expert panellists will unpack how breastfeeding is being threatened by the commercial milk formula (CMF) industry actions and what we can do as health care workers to protect infants and young children from inappropriate commercial influence.

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This contradiction should alarm all of us. 

According to UNICEF, around 23% of South African children live in severe food poverty. This means they consume food from only one or two food groups a day and are at significantly higher risk of malnutrition and developmental delays. At the same time, communities are seeing rising levels of childhood obesity, stunting and diet-related illness existing side by side. Furthermore, the percentage of overweight and obesity in children under 5 years rose from 13% in 2016 to 23% in 2024.  

Availability of ultra-processed food

The proliferation of cheap, unhealthy ultra-processed food means that a small packet of crisps from a spaza shop or street vendor costs as little as R3–R5, while a single piece of fruit (a banana or apple) can cost the same or more at a formal retailer. A nutritious home-cooked meal for a child costs considerably more. For many families, the math is stark: ultra-processed snacks are cheaper, closer, and more readily available than fresh food. 

 In one neighbourhood I drive through regularly, children stop after school to buy brightly colored sweets, sugary drinks and cheap snacks from informal traders. Among them is a mother whose two young boys spend most days beside her, eating the same food she sells.  

Across South Africa, millions of households are under immense economic pressure. Social grants remain a critical lifeline for many families, yet rising food prices, unemployment and inequality continue to push nutritious food further out of reach. For many households, the priority is no longer healthy eating; it is about survival.

This piece was published on the 19th of June by Health-e. Click HERE to read the full article.

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For Immediate Release

June 10, 2026 (Johannesburg) — A formidable coalition of global health experts and advocates is demanding FIFA commit to ending its partnership with Coca-Cola by 2030. The Kick Big Soda Out movement has targeted FIFA across major tournaments, where campaigners have accused Coca-Cola of sportswashing its health and environmental harms through stadium branding, broadcasts and social media. Despite sustained pressure, FIFA has failed to respond.

The tension is hard to ignore. Governments worldwide have introduced front-of-package warning labels and health taxes on sugary drinks — measures designed to protect public health and curb consumption of the very products Coca-Cola markets to millions of fans, especially children. FIFA’s commercial partnerships have long drawn scrutiny for the way they stand in direct opposition to these local health policies. Coca-Cola’s prominent presence at FIFA tournaments follows the same playbook — asking these same countries to spotlight one of the world’s biggest sweetened drink companies while sidelining regulations designed to protect public health.

“Sugary drinks are fuelling a global health crisis. Obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease are rising at alarming rates, and Coca-Cola’s aggressive marketing is a driving force behind that. FIFA reaches five billion people through this World Cup and has a responsibility to those fans. Lending that platform to one of the world’s biggest sugary drink companies sends entirely the wrong message. That is exactly why we are demanding FIFA chooses differently, ” says Nomfundo Mbuli Programmes manager at the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA).

Excess sugar consumption drives rising rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Big Soda’s aggressive marketing reaches millions, including children, influencing their preferences and purchases.

According to Mbuli “FIFA markets itself as a force for good for children, for communities, for the world. But you cannot champion the health of young people in one breath and sell their attention to the world’s biggest sugary drink company in the next. We are not asking FIFA to choose between football and health – we are asking them to choose both. This is FIFA’s moment to show that football truly belongs to the people – not to the corporations profiting from their ill health.”

Kick Big Soda Out has amassed over 523,000 supporters and the backing of 97 organizations since its launch during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The campaign’s ask is clear: FIFA must use the 2026 World Cup as a turning point, not another missed opportunity.

Join the movement demanding FIFA end its Coca-Cola partnership by 2030 at www.kickbigsodaout.org and use #KickBigSodaOutofSport to join the conversation.

Media Contact: Zukiswa Zimela, HEALA Communications Manager 0745210652 | zukiswa@heala.org

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.

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Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, remains one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and premature death in South Africa. Despite ongoing public awareness campaigns, many consumers still struggle to identify foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats due to complicated nutrition labels and misleading marketing on packaged foods.

Front-of-pack warning labels offer a practical, evidence-based solution. By placing simple to read, highly visible warnings on products that contain excessive levels of nutrients linked to poor health outcomes, such as sodium, these labels empower consumers to make healthier choices quickly and confidently.

South Africa has already demonstrated leadership in public health through progressive policies such as salt reduction regulations.  In 2023 government released for public comment the R3777 Regulations Relating to the Labelling And Advertising of Food Stuff, in acknowledgement of the fact that  stronger consumer information tools are needed to improve the overall health of South Africans, particularly as processed and ultra-processed foods become more common in household diets.

Three years later the regulations have yet to be implemented. 

Research from countries like Chile, that have implemented front-of-pack warning labels shows that these measures can influence purchasing decisions, encourage manufacturers to reformulate products, and improve public understanding of nutrition risks.

South Africa has low nutrition label literacy. A 2011 study in the North West reported that “respondents did not always understand how to use the information on food labels in order to make informed food choices. When scientists quizzed study participants on how well they understood labels, test scores revealed that even frequent readers did not always understand how to use labels to make better food choices.

For South Africa where hypertension affects millions of adults and increasingly impacts younger populations pack warning labels represent an important opportunity to strengthen prevention efforts, reduce healthcare costs, and protect future generations.

HEALA is urging policymakers to ratify mandatory front-of-pack warning labels as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat hypertension and improve nutrition across the country. 

South Africans have a right to know what is in their food. Clear warning labels are not just about information they are about prevention, empowerment, and saving lives.

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HEALA and the Diabetes Alliance hosted a powerful media breakfast unpacking South Africa’s growing diabetes crisis and the urgent need for action through the Johannesburg Declaration. Hosted by Bongiwe Zwane, the conversation brought together leading voices in public health and advocacy, including Nzama Mbalati, Dr Patrick Ngassa Piotie, and Amanda Mashego. The panel explored the systemic challenges shaping diabetes care in South Africa—from prevention and early detection to stigma, access to treatment, and the need for stronger policy action. With diabetes claiming thousands of lives each year, the discussion called for urgent, coordinated efforts to turn the tide. This media breakfast marks just the beginning. The real work starts now—taking the Johannesburg Declaration beyond the room and into communities across the country.

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Johannesburg-15 April 2026- In a pivotal move toward addressing the escalating diabetes crisis in South Africa, the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) convened yet another dialogue focused on the challenges faced by the nation’s more than 4 million diabetic population.

This discussion followed the recent finalisation of the Johannesburg Declaration for Accelerated Action on Diabetes and served as a platform to galvanise public and media awareness around this pressing public health issue.

Held at the Southern Sun Hotel in Rosebank, the media breakfast event featured a dynamic panel discussion led by SABC anchor Bongiwe Zwane, alongside HEALA’s CEO, Nzama Mbalati, Dr Patrick Ngassa Piotie, Chairman of the Diabetes Alliance, as well as one of South Africa’s leading diabetes activist, Amanda Mashego.

These experts and stakeholders gathered to deliberate on the widespread implications of diabetes, which is increasingly cited as one of the world’s leading non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Mbalati, emphasised the vision outlined in the Johannesburg Declaration – a commitment to ensuring that every South African, irrespective of income, geography, gender, or health status, has access to equitable diabetes prevention and care.

“Following last year’s Diabetes Summit, we want to keep the momentum going. The commitments made in the declaration must not be allowed to gather dust,” Mbalati asserted.
Mbalati further highlighted the need for collective society efforts, from government to academia, to confront the diabetes crisis decisively.

Yet despite years of advocacy, government policies and interventions still lag significantly. Experts attending the panel highlighted the urgent need for greater empowerment and support for individuals living with diabetes, with Dr Ngassa Piotie, pointing out that the education given to medical students is inadequate when it comes to understanding the complexities of diabetes management. “There is a danger that we may repeat the same mistakes we made with HIV/Aids treatment. We need to empower communities and ensure that the next generation of healthcare professionals is well-equipped to manage diabetes,” laments Dr Ngassa Piotie.

While there has been a notable decrease in diabetes-related fatalities, from 95,000 in 2021 to just over 24,000 in 2024, the burden of diabetes continues to escalate, posing significant threats to public health and economic stability in South Africa. Both Dr Ngassa Piotie and Mashego, whose diagnoses in 2020 spurred her to take a keen interest in advocacy work, echoed the sentiment shared by other panelists that more proactive measures and education are vital.

Despite having found new and innovative ways to contribute positively to the discussions around diabetes, Mashego expressed her frustration over the lack of support available to young individuals living with diabetes.

“Sometimes I wonder what the future looks like for young people. I am angry, and my anger stems from the fact that when I was diagnosed in 2020, I faced the most challenging time of my life. I had to educate myself in real time. Sometimes when young people contact me, I am confronted by the burdens they face daily,” she shared passionately.

Mashego reveals that she is particularly concerned about young individuals forced to navigate their diabetes journeys alone, often without adequate familial or governmental assistance.
Her experience mirrors a broader issue plaguing young diabetics—many find themselves self-educating on managing their condition amidst societal stigma. “I had to deal with nurses who would just give you insulin without explaining anything. Some nurses hand you a handful of insulin, and for the next six months, you have to figure things out by yourself. That is why I am angry due to the many unfulfilled government promises,” she lamented, illustrating the pressing gap in education and support within the healthcare system.

This conversation served not only as a forum for discussion but as a rallying cry for urgent collective action against diabetes in South Africa. As stakeholders continue to push for accountability and reforms, the impact of diabetes on individuals and the healthcare system remains a poignant reminder of the work yet to be done.

Mbalati further stresses the importance of active, rather than passive activism, which he says is needed to move the country and the government towards a more practical approach to stemming the tide against the diabetes scourge.

“We cannot accept being satisfied with doing the bare minimum. Another thing is the private sector. We keep talking about the public sector, but the private sector also has a role to play. Also, people living with diabetes need to have a seat at the table when policies are being developed,” Mbalati concludes

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As South Africa approaches this year’s budget speech (25 February 2026) , much attention is being paid to unemployment, national debt and inequality.

Yet one tax, which has the potential to improve the lives of South Africans, particularly the poorest, receives little attention.

The Health Promotion Levy, commonly called the sugary drinks tax, was introduced in 2018 with a clear objective: reduce excessive sugar consumption with a view to reducing obesity and associated non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension. When the levy was adopted, it worked. A United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research study released in 2025 noted that the levy led to an increase of 15% in the consumption of non-taxable sugary drinks.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

This article was published in The Daily Maverick on the 24th of February 2026.

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