Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
6 February 2024 | 14:00 CAT
2 min read

South Africa is currently facing a severe hunger crisis, which was described in detail by Songezo Zibi, the leader of Rise Mzansi, in a recent opinion piece for City Press. This pervasive issue is largely the result of the high unemployment rates that have been further exacerbated by the pandemic-induced closures of many businesses.

Zibi recounted his moving encounter with the dire situation of household hunger in Ngcobo, Eastern Cape, where many young individuals shared their struggles of going without meals for days due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.

Reflecting on his eye-opening experience, Zibi emphasised the critical importance of addressing food security concerns. “Since that encounter, my party members and I have made it a priority to inquire about food security in all the communities we visit, consistently finding a significant number of individuals facing food shortages, with some barely managing one meal a day, if any,” he said.

Zibi expressed his hope for the upcoming State of the Nation address to directly address food security and propose specific interventions to ensure every South African has access to adequate food. Stats SA reports that over 1.1 million households suffer from inadequate or severely inadequate food availability, with women and young people disproportionately affected, despite being a net exporter of food.

Zibi emphasised the inseparable link between food and employment, highlighting the impracticality of seeking work on an empty stomach.

“Food and water are the most essential human needs, even more than shelter. Unfortunately, our country is failing to provide for these basic necessities,” he said.

From a policy perspective, Zibi proposed several urgent measures to alleviate hunger, including the immediate issuance of food vouchers for affected households and the implementation of discounted food prices for grant recipients using their SA Social Security Agency cards. He also advocated for support for rural families to engage in food production through access to water and climate-resistant seeds.

“For rural families who often have land on which to plant their own, the two major obstacles to food production are a lack of water and climate-resistant seeds or seedlings. In many cases, even the basic know-how of planting vegetables and crops is missing,” he added.

Zibi stressed the urgent need for practical solutions to address the glaring issue of food insecurity amidst the country’s abundance.

He said that many people believe that South Africa’s challenges stem from a lack of innovative solutions. However, this is often not the case. Instead, our problems arise due to our inability to execute even the most fundamental tasks properly.

Zibi believes our policymakers seem to be disconnected from the realities of the people they serve. “The fact that we have an abundance of resources but still have so many individuals who lack access to food is a prime example of this,” he said.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Songezo Zibi, the leader of Rise Mzansi, here.

*Note: Due to technical difficulties, Radio Islam was unable to complete the full interview.