Limpopo Learners Face Hunger as Truck Hijackings Interrupt School Feeding Scheme

In what might read as a case of misfortune escalating into a crisis, hundreds of learners in Limpopo found themselves without essential school meals for a period of two weeks. An alarming interruption in the provincial school-feeding scheme sent shockwaves through the education sector, only made public through recent disclosures by Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga.

The feeding scheme, which serves as a lifeline to numerous children, guarantees at least one substantial meal during the school day — a fundamental support system for many families in Limpopo. Angie Motshekga revealed that the interruption stemmed from a service provider's failure to deliver foodstuffs due to their trucks being hijacked. This incident caused 27 schools to go without food, leaving children hungry and their parents concerned.

Despite assurances that such disruptions are uncommon, the October 2023 hijackings resulted in a severe breach of contract for the supplier, whose primary duty was to ensure the continuity of food provision to these institutions. The Minister, in her address to the parliamentary question posed by EFF MP Lorato Tito, explained the timeline of events and the responsive actions taken.

During the first week of October, when the lack of deliveries was reported to the district office, prompt communication with the service provider revealed the troubling news of the hijackings. Acknowledging the breach of the service level agreement, efforts were made to remedy the issue as quickly as possible. By the second week, the minister confirmed that the deliveries had been reinstated.

One significant testament to the recovery of the situation is at Fawcett Mathebe Secondary School, where it was reported that there had been no interruption in feeding since April 2023. Meanwhile, schools like Thabakhubedu and Mothibedi, which faced two weeks of hardships, have now seen the resumption of meal provision to students.

In addressing a separate concern regarding the impact of union protest action on school exams in KwaZulu-Natal, Motshekga dispelled rumors that exams were halted due to outstanding monies owed to schools by the department. She clarified that notices sent to parents were related solely to teacher availability, not exam postponements, and that the tensions with the union were eventually settled without further impacting exam schedules.

The Minister's acknowledgment of the issue and the steps taken to rectify the food supply highlight a robust response system within the Department of Basic Education. Yet, the occurrence raises larger questions about security and reliability within supply chains crucial to the well-being of young learners.

As families breathe a sigh of relief with the normalization of the school feeding programme, stakeholders are calling for more stringent measures to ensure that such disruptions do not reoccur, emphasizing the importance of every child's right to food security and education.