Despite progressive constitutional guarantees, including the rights to food and basic nutrition, millions of South Africans still face chronic and acute hunger. This disconnect between legal promise and lived deprivation, is the focus of the Union Against Hunger (UAH).
“This year, on World Hunger Day, 28 May 2025, the UAH will be hosting a number of dialogues nationally to engage communities and the public – and share information that will better enable and support the mobilisation of communities to demand their right to food and hold government and industry to account,” says Dr Busiso Moyo, member of the UAH secretariat and postdoctoral researcher with the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS).
To mark this year’s World Hunger Day, the UAH will be hosting a series of events, alongside its civil society and academic partners.
GAUTENG
A ‘Hunger Indaba’ is set to take place in Lenasia South.
Date: 28 May 2025
Venue: Lenasia South Civic Centre
Time: 13h00 to 15h30
For more information, please contact Esther Padi, Union Against Hunger on 083 246 8736 or estherpad491i@gmail.com
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), who form part of the UAH Steering Group, will also host a ‘Lekgotla’.
Date: 27 May 2025
Venue: Old Assembly of God of Africa Church (behind Khulisa), Vosloorus
Time: 10h00 to 13h00
For more information, please contact Esther Padi, Union Against Hunger, on 083 246 8736 or estherpad491i@gmail.com
WESTERN CAPE
A Hunger Indaba will take place in Cape Town, a collaboration between the UAH, the CoE-FS and the Callas Foundation.
Date: 28 May 2025
Venue: 6 Spin Street, Cape Town City Centre
Time: 09h30 to 13h00
For more information, please contact Dr Busiso Moyo, UAH/CoE-FS, on 071 319 4538 or busiso@unionagainsthunger.com
KWAZULU-NATAL
In Durban, the shack dwellers movement Abahlali baseMjondolo, also members of the UAH Steering Group, will be hosting a National Council Hunger Imbizo with branch leaders from across the province.
For media inquiries, please contact Mr Ndabo Mzimela, Abahlali baseMjondolo on 060 537 6083 or ndabo.mzimela@gmail.com
The UAH, together with its founding members, which include the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA), Grow Great, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (NMCF), the Women on Farms Project, Callas Foundation, and the CoE-FS, will, through these activities, draw attention to the ‘slow violence’ of hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity in South Africa.
“As seasonal workers, our biggest struggle is putting food on the table. Many of our women are single mothers. Their only income comes from working on the farm for the season. What happens during off-season? Many of our women seek help from money lenders and get into debt to feed their kids,” says Nicoleen McGee, a farmworker and Women on Farms Project activist.
Around 15.3 million people (25.8% of the population) experience food insecurity, while 6.8 million people (11.4% of the population) face chronic hunger. Over 1.5 million children have stunted growth as a result of chronic malnutrition. More shocking is that three infants die daily due to severe malnutrition in a country where the Constitution clearly states that “everyone has a right to sufficient food and every child to basic nutrition.”
“In some parts of the country, we are seeing the type of hunger that would normally be associated with natural disasters or war. The quality of food that people have access to is so poor that we do not only witness hunger in these households, but the rise of lifestyle ailments such as diabetes and heart disease as well,” says Petronell Kruger, Programmes Manager at HEALA. “Inaction on food and nutrition insecurity is our country’s greatest existential threat since the HIV/Aids pandemic.”
We look forward to your presence and coverage at these landmark engagements.
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