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.