Petition to government to reduce food price gains momentum
A nationwide petition has been launched by United Against Hunger (UAH) to pressure the government and retailers to reduce food prices, as millions of South Africans struggle to feed their families.
A recent General Household Survey revealed that nearly 14 million South Africans faced daily hunger last year, with 22.2% of households reporting inadequate or severely inadequate access to food.
Children are particularly vulnerable, with 29% of children under the age of five experiencing malnutrition and stunted growth.
The petition, launched as part of the World Hunger campaigns, aims to collect 100,000 signatures to pressure the government and retailers to take action.
According to IOL, Mark Heywood, leader of UAH, stated that the petition is a call to action for large retailers to respond to the moral needs of their customers or for the government to regulate food prices.
Heywood emphasised that big companies in the retail sector can afford to reduce prices and are currently making huge profits. He suggested several interventions that can be undertaken, including:
Passing legislation to prevent food waste
Reducing food prices
Introducing legislation to prevent food waste
Setting up a National Food Security and Nutrition Council and finalising the National Plan on Food Security and Nutrition in consultation with communities.
Mervyn Abrahams, director of the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, stated that the calls for food prices to be reviewed are genuine. The group has been assessing food affordability for the past few years and has consistently called for transparency in the food ecosystem.
The petition is being collected door-to-door, with affiliates of the union visiting homes to collect signatures and brief residents on the issues of hunger and malnutrition among children. The campaign hopes to engage communities and raise awareness about the importance of affordable food prices.
As Heywood said, "Everyone has a right to sufficient food; that is a constitutional right. If companies that set high food prices are violating the realisation of those rights, then we say the government must regulate not just the quality of food but also the affordability of food to ensure that people in this country do not go hungry."
The petition is a step towards ensuring that every South African has access to nutritious food and a dignified life.
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