BOOST TO FOOD SECURITY AS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS COLLABORATE TO COMMEMORATE WORLD FOOD DAY

By Staff Reporter.

• Food security was in the spotlight during a recent visit by the MECs for social development and agriculture and rural development to Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal.
• The event, at the Valjas Sports Ground, formed part of World Food Day commemorations.
• The MECs handed out food parcels to the most vulnerable, as well as taking part in preparing agricultural fields for the planting of maize.

Significant progress has been achieved in addressing food insecurity and poverty in the Phayikeni area of Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal.

The Department of Social Development, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, reaffirmed its commitment to combating poverty and the rising cost of living by promoting food security in the uThukela district.

This was exemplified through a comprehensive commemorative event on 17 October 2025 – part of World Food Day activities – at the Valjas Sports Ground in Ladysmith, aimed at strengthening social protection for the most vulnerable in the district.

World Food Day is an annual event to raise awareness about global hunger and food security, commemorating the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. South Africa focuses on using the day to raise awareness, particularly about women living in rural settings.

During the gathering, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development, Mbali Shinga, collaborated with MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa, and distributed 200 food parcels as part of the Department of Social Development’s Social Relief of Distress initiative to alleviate poverty in vulnerable communities.

Both MECs also visited two households to take part in planting vegetables, fostering a drive towards sustainable livelihoods in the area.

KaMadlopha-Mthethwa and Shinga rolled up their sleeves in tilling the soil using five tractors to cultivate the land in preparation for maize planting.

The day also included government support for subsistence farmers, as agricultural tools were provided to both farming communities and the broader community.

The Gcabhane Sondlisizwe Project, an agricultural cooperative at Watersmeet in Ladysmith, manages 38 hectares of agricultural land. The project has committed to using the government-provided infrastructure for its intended purpose of self-sustainability and responsible use.

Leaders of the project made this pledge to the two MECs.

The programme in Ladysmith comes on the heels of Statistics South Africa’s recent General Household Survey that revealed that KwaZulu-Natal’s levels of food insecurity varied across districts, with 19% of households suffering moderate/severe hunger, particularly in the districts of Zululand, uMzinyathi, and uMkhanyakude.

Speaking at the event, attended by hundreds of community members from uThukela District Municipality, MEC Shinga reaffirmed her commitment to tackling poverty and social ills in vulnerable communities.

“The Department of Social Development is more than just a grant department; we actively engage with the community.

“Our social workers attend war rooms to ensure that social issues are adequately addressed in communities,” Shinga said.

“Today, we visited a household where a young individual struggling with substance addiction will be referred to a rehabilitation center managed by the Department of Social Development,” she added.

The MEC, who also encountered another young man interested in participating in the Department of Social Development’s youth development camps, said she would ensure he was enrolled in the programme.

“These initiatives demonstrate our commitment to developmental support beyond mere financial assistance,” said Shinga.