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Gauteng school meal delays spark fears of hunger for thousands of pupils

Published

2 hours ago

October 2, 2025

Chiraag

Gauteng school nutrition delays, pupils face hunger Gauteng, Gauteng Department of Education school meals, DA warns over school feeding crisis, Quintile 4 and 5 schools Gauteng, Joburg ETC

A storm is brewing over Gauteng’s extended school nutrition programme, with warnings that thousands of pupils at fee-paying schools could soon go hungry. Service providers supplying meals have not been paid for two months, raising fears that children may lose what, for many, is their only reliable daily meal.

DA raises alarm over non-payment

The Democratic Alliance’s Gauteng shadow MEC for education, Sergio Dos Santos, sounded the alarm this week, accusing the provincial education department of mismanagement. He argued that the delay in payments has left food suppliers in Quintile 4 and 5 schools on the brink of collapse. Without urgent intervention, he warned, hundreds of learners could be left without food.

The DA says it has seen correspondence from the acting programme director, Busisiwe Mahlangu, confirming that “cash flow challenges” are behind the payment backlog. Dos Santos called the situation “disgraceful” and accused the department of undermining a programme designed to fight hunger in schools.

Department acknowledges strain

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) admitted that there have been delays but stressed that the core national school nutrition programme, which serves Quintile 1 to 3 no-fee schools, continues to run without disruption.

Officials explained that the provincial extended programme was introduced to support vulnerable pupils in fee-paying schools, where growing socio-economic pressures have left many families unable to afford meals. However, this expansion, coupled with provincial budget cuts, has left the programme struggling.

“Regrettably, these challenges have resulted in delays in processing payments,” the department said, while pledging to work with providers to clear the backlog and keep meals flowing to pupils.

A bigger debate about school feeding

The controversy highlights deeper tensions around food security in South Africa’s schools. The quintile system, which determines how schools are funded, is under review, with critics saying it no longer reflects current economic realities. Even in fee-paying schools, many children rely on school meals because household incomes are stretched to breaking point.

While the department has promised to resolve the crisis, political pressure is mounting. The DA has vowed to hold MEC Matome Chiloane to account in the provincial legislature and accused Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s administration of failing children.

The stakes for learners

For pupils in affected schools, the politics matter less than the plate. The extended school nutrition programme was designed to ensure no child has to learn on an empty stomach. With service providers under strain, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether Gauteng learners receive the food they need.