The Democratic Alliance (DA) stands by its proposed solutions to tackle the country’s hunger crisis, following criticisms from a local journalist, who accused the party of meddling in populist rhetoric. 

Veteran journalist Tim Cohen criticised the party for what he argued was an inability to arrive at effective solutions to the food crisis, suggesting that it was using a genuine issue as a way to boost voter registration. Cohen opined that the DA had failed to articulate a cogent plan to accelerate economic growth.

The DA has proposed a cut in fuel taxes and levies to lower the cost of transport, the reallocation of the R50-million food aid for Cuba to feed hungry children at home, a review of the list of zero-rated food items, a review of import tariffs on some food items, and title deeds for all land reform beneficiaries on State land and landholders in communal areas to increase food production and improve food security.

In responding to the negative criticism the party had faced, DA leader John Steenhuisen stressed that the party’s solutions would bring immediate relief and tackle the country’s problems of hunger, poverty, unemployment and failing tax revenues.

He noted that the last review of zero-rated items was done in 2018 and added that the party had repeatedly urged government to review the list, to include other commonly purchased items by low-income households such as bone-in chicken, tinned beans, peanut butter and baby food.

“Zero-rating bone-in chicken would cost approximately R4-billion per annum, but experts have suggested the intervention would pay for itself through improved health, work and learning outcomes,” Steenhuisen said.

He also claimed that the ruling African National Congress spent R4-billion a year on protection services and alluded to the importance of making budgetary trade-offs that serve the interests of the poor and malnourished.

Steenhuisen has highlighted the various initiatives taken by the DA-run Western Cape government to tackle the hunger crisis. 

“This includes feeding around 500 000 schoolchildren daily through its support for school feeding schemes, 25 000 schoolchildren through after-school and youth-development programmes, over 150 000 young children through early childhood development centres and over 100 000 people through funding soup kitchens. Its first 1 000 days programme provides nutritional support for children at risk of malnutrition,” he said.