Stellenbosch University (SU) has a serious food and nutrition security challenge, claimed prof Thuli Madonsela, law trust research chair in social justice at the faculty of law at SU.
Madonsela was the keynote speaker at a Mandela Day lecture hosted at the SU Museum by the SU transformation office on 26 July.
Hunger affects a student’s ability to perform academically as their concentration is interrupted, according to Madonsela. The student’s energy is focused on where they will find their next meal, she explained.
Prof Thuli Madonsela (pictured above), law trust research chair in social justice at the faculty of law at Stellenbosch University (SU) was the keynote speaker of an annual Mandela Day lecture, hosted by the SU transformation office. During her lecture, she addressed the lack of food security at SU for disadvantaged students. PHOTO: Jan-Hendrik de Villiers
Lack of support
“[There is a] quest to resolve this issue within our institution,” said Abongile Quthu, chairperson of the student institutional transformation committee, and the SU Student Representative Council (SRC) transformation manager.
However, solutions to food insecurity seem scarce, stated Quthu, at the event.
“We are not at peace as students in this institution. Because we are hungry [and] we have student debts,” said Quthu.
While there is a “quest to resolve” food insecurity within Stellenbosch University (SU), there are not many solutions to food insecurity at SU. This was according to Abongile Quthu (pictured above), chairperson of the student institutional transformation committee, and Student Representative Council transformation manager at SU. PHOTO: Jan-Hendrik de Villiers
Support initiatives
The university has ongoing initiatives to help students with food security, said Martin Viljoen, media manager at SU.
These initiatives include the #Move4Food campaign, which “involves students, alumni, staff, and friends in sporting events to raise funds to alleviate student hunger”, stated Viljoen.
The Bridge the Gap campaign, launched in 2021, also aims “to remove the obstacles that are hindering [SU students] from having a meaningful student experience”, explained Viljoen.
Factors causing food insecurity
Food insecurity is not something endemic to SU, said Buhle Bam, a second year BA International studies student at SU, who quoted from a Statistics South Africa article from 11 April 2023, during her reflective speech on food insecurity, at the lecture.
It is a reality for many South Africans, stated Bam.
“The right to food, education, work, health and liberty – these are basic human rights [and] for many South Africans, not even two of these basic human rights are currently being met,” said Bam.
Despite the motivation for basic human rights to be met, food insecurity in South Africa is “a problem that is escalating at an accelerating rate”, stated Bam.
The factors that contribute to food insecurity include high unemployment, poverty, a growing energy crisis, and rising costs of living that impacts food security in South Africa, said Bam.
“As students, we are left with our hands tied, as the situation becomes more dire,” stated Bam.
This article was updated on 12 August to include commentary from Stellenbosch University.
Buhle Bam, a second year BA International studies student at Stellenbosch University, explained the external factors that contribute to food insecurity in South Africa. AUDIO CLIP: Jan-Hendrik de Villiers