The tragic death of 9-year-old Alti Willard, who died from poisoning after scavenging for food with his father, paints a heartbreaking picture of South Africa’s deep-rooted food insecurity crisis. This harrowing incident occurred against the backdrop of the country’s economic and natural resource capabilities, as South Africa possesses the means to nourish its entire population. Yet, it grapples with what experts describe as the triple burden of malnutrition—chronic under-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and unhealthy diets.
According to the latest Food and Nutrition Security Survey led by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), about 63.5% of South African households face food insecurity, 17.5% of which do so severely. This is not merely about inadequate access to food—it encapsulates the issue of child malnutrition wherein having enough food does not equate to having nourishing food. Alarmingly, food insecurity rates spike to 83.3% among households with children under five suffering from stunting, as 1,000 children annually perish from preventable acute malnutrition.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated food poverty rates, coupled with soaring food inflation, particularly affecting young children. The HSRC revealed troubling statistics, indicating approximately 28.8% of children under five experience stunting due to chronic malnutrition—an indicator of health repercussions linked directly to inadequate nutrition.
The South African Early Childhood Review 2024, created by the Children’s Institute and Ilifa Labantwana, lends credence to these findings. The review documents the startling rise of severe acute malnutrition cases from 2020 to 2023, which surged by 33%, contributing to 15,000 children requiring hospitalization during the 2022/23 period.
Addressing food insecurity requires far more than temporary relief through social grants, as systemic inequalities and poor food supply chains are underscored. For substantial change, experts advocate for a transition from current temporary relief measures to structural solutions aimed at lowering the costs of healthy food access.
Erroring on the side of caution, funding for innovation and upliftment is necessary, particularly for South Africans reliant on social grants—over half of children aged 14 and under benefit from the child support grant. Yet, many eligible infants remain excluded after birth due to inefficiency and bureaucracy. Improving coordination among government departments could secure financial assistance right from birth. This coordination is evident as South Africa combats lengthy visa backlogs, showcasing what can be achieved with focused efforts.
Despite underway initiatives like the National School Nutrition Programme, which feeds over 9 million children per year, and various community and NGO initiatives, sustainability remains elusive. Efforts lack the reach and resources necessary to become effective long-term solutions.
Meanwhile, overlapping issues persist as South Africa's struggle to manage HIV/AIDS remains dire. Linda-Gail Bekker, head of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, expressed her deep concern over impending cuts to U.S. funding for HIV/AIDS programs, predicting the loss of over 500,000 lives during the next decade due to funding withdrawals by USAID. With roughly 7.8 million South Africans living with HIV—one of the highest rates globally—these funding cuts threaten to undermine years of hard-won progress.
Bekker indicated, "We will see lives lost," as funding providers like PEPFAR, which has historically contributed about 17% of South Africa’s HIV budget, reel from funding terminations, purportedly due to lack of alignment with U.S. priorities. The South African government has pledged to fortify its healthcare system to combat the funding gap, reassuring the public of continued support.
On another front, South Africa’s youth, representing one-third of the population, face social and economic challenges compounded by rising unemployment. The Marginalised Groups Series VII report from Stats SA reveals stark contrasts: between 2014 and 2024, the youth unemployment rate escalated from 36.8% to 45.5%. Despite National Development Plan interventions aimed at bolstering youth employment, joblessness persists due to mismatched skills and labor market demands.
Even as the youth population grew by 2.3%, their labour force participation has declined, with evident disparities between young and adult workers—adults consistently find employment more readily. This translates to increased economic inactivity among the youth as many find themselves living without any employed adults at home, worsening the household conditions they endure.
Living conditions have shown some progress—the majority of youth now reside in formal housing, and educational attendance has experienced slight improvements, though participation rates remain unequal across demographic groups. The education pathway remains littered with obstacles: many young South Africans do not possess the necessary qualifications, and enrollment rates for vocational and alternative education options have dwindled.
Safety remains another pressing concern. Although housing conditions have improved, crime rates threaten the well-being of youth; feelings of safety have declined, with many young people becoming vulnerable to various crimes. Gender disparities are evident here too, with males being more susceptible to violent crimes.
While engagement with ecotourism and its potential economic benefits offers one possible avenue for empowerment, South Africa’s rich natural resources must be leveraged strategically to catalyze job creation and combat the dual threats of extreme poverty and unemployment. Integrated and multi-sectoral approaches addressing both food security and youth struggles are desperately needed to transform the social fabric of South Africa effectively. Strategies must align with building stronger networks of relationships between government, civil society, and local communities to create sustainable progress.