Food safety experts, researchers, public health specialists, government officials, and education stakeholders have called for stronger protection measures across South Africa’s school nutrition programmes to better protect learners from preventable health risks linked to unsafe food practices and contamination.
The calls come amid growing national concern around unsafe food incidents affecting learners and communities, with experts warning that many outbreaks may still go underreported, limiting early intervention and weakening public health response systems.
The discussions took place during a national webinar convened by The Tiger Brands Foundation (TBF) in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the Food Evolution Research Centre (FERC) at the University of Johannesburg.
Experts cautioned that gaps in monitoring systems, kitchen infrastructure, food storage, hygiene compliance, and food handling controls continue to place learners at risk. They further warned that weaknesses within school nutrition environments can rapidly develop into broader public health risks affecting surrounding communities.
Discussions focused on strengthening hygiene practices, supplier accountability, outbreak reporting, food traceability, infrastructure, and continuous food handler training.
Protecting learners requires systemic commitment
Professor Paul Chelule of Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University stressed the importance of governance, environmental health controls, and safe food handling within schools and surrounding vendor environments.
Prof. Chelule also raised concerns around unsafe storage conditions, contamination risks, inadequate infrastructure, and the need for stronger compliance with food safety regulations within school nutrition programmes.
“We need our children to be safe,” he said.
Food safety remains central to food security
Food safety expert and microbiologist Edna Mokwena from Tiger Brands Limited highlighted the direct link between safe school meals, learner wellbeing, and national food security.
“Food safety is the foundation of food security,” said Mokwena.
She added that most foodborne illnesses can be prevented through proper hygiene practices, temperature control, shelf life management, correct food storage, and continuous monitoring.
Dr. Schae-Lee Olckers, NPD Manager at LeCaf Foods, highlighted the role of food traceability, packaging integrity, and scientifically controlled manufacturing processes in protecting learners at the point of production.
“For many children, school meals are their most important daily nutrition source,” said Dr. Olckers.
Research reveals operational gaps on the ground
Research presented by Thandeka Nyawo, a researcher at Walter Sisulu University and PhD candidate with the Food Evolution Research Centre at the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg, found that inadequate infrastructure, limited training, inconsistent monitoring, and insufficient supervision continue to undermine compliance within some school nutrition programmes.
The Gauteng-based study identified several operational challenges, including limited food handler training, inadequate kitchen infrastructure, insufficient supervision, lack of essential equipment, supplier compliance concerns, inconsistent monitoring, limited access to resources, and poor understanding of foodborne disease prevention.
Surveillance and early reporting remain critical
Dr. Nicola Page from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said schools and educational settings continue to feature among reported outbreak environments in South Africa.
Page called for stronger outbreak surveillance systems and improved collaboration between schools, municipalities, public health authorities, and healthcare systems.
“Reporting outbreaks early helps prevent more children from becoming ill,” said Dr. Page.
Speakers across the webinar stressed that stronger collaboration between education, health, research, industry, and public health institutions remains essential to improving learner protection and strengthening school nutrition programmes nationally.
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