Although the more affluent consumers in the country have a feeling that the economy will strengthen and their finances will improve, the majority of South Africans still do not know where their next meal will come from, as food security worsens in the country.
Andy Du Plessis, managing director of FoodForward SA FFSA, an organisation that collects edible food and distributes it to people in need, warns that food insecurity in South Africa is worsening, even among households already receiving food aid.
FoodForward SAs State of Household Food Insecurity in South Africa Report 2026, produced with UCTs Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, shows that 70 of surveyed households face moderate-to-severe food insecurity, while one in four go entire days without food.
