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Opinion: KwaZulu-Natal floods: Each one help one

26 April 2022 | Story Dr Qinisani Qwabe

South Africa recently witnessed a catastrophic natural disaster that resulted in the loss of life, livelihoods, and infrastructural damage. This occurred in KwaZulu-Natal where hundreds of people lost their lives as a result of extensive flooding and mudslides. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster to which we should all respond. Specific reference was made to the public and private sectors, as well as civil society.

While I applaud the various stakeholders that have extended a helping hand, my heart bleeds for the vulnerable groups whose voices remain unheard, even under normal circumstances. One cannot help but wonder if aid will reach the isolated regions that suffered the adverse effects of these heavy rains, or if all developmental efforts will be prioritised to certain economic hubs of the province such as the eThekwini Metro and the capital, uMgungundlovu.

KwaZulu-Natal is among the poorest provinces in the country. Corroborating this claim is a report that was released by Statistics South Africa earlier this year which reveals that about 52% of the province’s population are considered to be ‘poor’,and live at the lower end of the poverty line.

Drawing from my experiences of the rural communities of KwaZulu-Natal with whom I have worked, many suffer from the triple challenge of poverty, inequality, and unemployment, and rely on agriculture for their livelihood and to put food on the table. Their supplementary income is obtained from government support grants. The graphic scenes that have been shown on the media illustrate the devastating effects of the heavy rains in regions within the agricultural sector. Fields have been washed away, crops and livestock have been lost. This is happening when the province is still trying to resuscitate its economy after the widespread looting that took place in July last year, which had a calamitous effect on businesses and livelihoods.

While this is an injury mainly for the people of KwaZulu-Natal, it is my wish that we all join hands in contributing towards the restoration of livelihoods. In agreement with the president’s assertion, we can all play a part in rebuilding the province. This includes institutions of higher learning, particularly the Community Engagement Directorates whose mandate is to drive socioeconomic development to external communities.

Related article: Opinion: KZN floods expose significant socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities

News Archive

Food insecurity at university campuses a growing threat

2015-07-28

Food insecurity on university campuses in South Africa has come to the fore as one of the more pressing subjects that needs to be tackled to ensure the continuing education of disadvantaged students across the country.

On Friday 14 August 2015, the University of the Free State will host the first higher education colloquium on food insecurity on university campuses. The one-day colloquium will take place during the Arts and Social Justice Week, in collaboration with the UFS’s Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice Best practices will be shared, exploring the available research on student food insecurity at institutions of higher education.

Food insecurity has emerged as a pressing social justice issue affecting students countrywide. Action needs to be taken to promote the academic success of students, who will ultimately contribute to the country’s economic growth. One of the primary focus areas of the colloquium will be to establish a common practice to address this need. Universities leaders, staff from wellness and social work departments, and SRC members from across the country who have been invited, and are expected to attend, are the University of Pretoria, the Tshwane University of Technology, North West University, UNISA, and the Central University of Technology.

Professor Jonathan Jansen will participate in a panel discussion alongside Ruda Landman and Prof Edelweiss Wentzel-Viljoen (HPCSA). This promises to be an inspiring meaningful dialogue, by asking the difficult question: How do we change the food insecurity situation at universities?

The University of the Free State is currently the country’s leading university in addressing food insecurity on all its campuses through its flagship No Student Hungry Bursary programme, which has funded more than 500 students since it was established in 2011.

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