Gauteng blamed as food parcel centralisation leaves families hungry

THOUSANDS of vulnerable families in Gauteng are going hungry after the provincial government centralised food bank operations, leading to significant criticism.

- MASABATA MKWANANZI

In the 2025 State of the Province Address (SOPA), Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced a strategic shift towards centralising food bank operations.

This move was aimed at streamlining distribution and ensuring more efficient allocation of resources across the province, as part of a broader initiative to enhance service delivery and address systemic challenges within provincial food security programmes.

However, the DA Shadow MEC for Social Development Refiloe Nt'sekhe has criticised this, citing that the party will table a motion in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature demanding that the GDSD reverse its centralisation policy and decentralise food parcel distribution to ensure vulnerable communities across Gauteng are properly served.

Nt'sekhe added that previously, food parcels were distributed through a network of 288 Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) and five regional food banks.