We can address the challenges of hunger, even during a pandemic.
It feels like yesterday when South Africans read with horror how four children from Verdwaal near Lichtenburg in North West province died of hunger and dehydration.
The children – Sebengu Mmupele, 9, Mmapule Mmupele, 7, Olebogeng, 6, and Oarabetswe, 2 – died following a long walk to find their mother and sister who had allegedly gone in search of food.
Over the past couple of years, South Africa has dealt with extreme poverty. Now with the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, the levels of poverty in the country seem to be worsening.
According to the consumer council, since lockdown restrictions began in March last year, poverty and inequality have all been exacerbated, resulting in many in low-income households going to bed hungry.
Commenting on the rising food prices and loss of jobs recently, the Consumer Council said it had seen low-income households adopt negative coping mechanisms such as reducing their food consumption to save money.
Food security, it said, had been seriously affected across the country and this had driven an even bigger wedge between the rich and the poor.
According to the council, expansion of social grants has helped reduce the impact of the various stages of lockdown, but it highlights that the country needs more of these interventions.
It is also thought that about 23 million people have been pushed into poverty because of the pandemic.
While it is important to contain the spread of this virus, experts have warned that closure of the free-meals programme in South African schools, which served 9 million poor children, has put more strain on low-income households which now have to purchase more food with less money.
As children are set to return to school in the next two weeks, perhaps some may finally get the chance to have a nutritious meal, which they have not had in months.
It is therefore imperative that civil society not only look to the government for answers, but that we, as a collective, take up the duty to come up with solutions on how we can end hunger – because at the end of the day, poverty is our business.
The Star