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Starved for education – the harsh hunger crisis gripping SA university campuses

Photo: Ernst Calitz

By Takudzwa Pongweni, Ernst Calitz and Estelle Ellis

8 Mar 2025

In South Africa, food insecurity rates among university students range from 11% to 38.3%. With food prices soaring and allowances failing to keep up, thousands of students are missing meals and struggling to study on empty stomachs.

In the coming weeks, thousands of university students will walk across a stage, proudly accepting their degrees and diplomas. For many, this achievement will be marred by a struggle with hunger.

A final-year BA student at the Durban University of Technology dreams of starting her day with breakfast.

A postgraduate student at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) says hunger has left him so delirious that he has found himself wandering the streets, disoriented.

An accounting student at Tshwane University of Technology describes “poverty naps” – sleeping through hunger pangs to avoid facing the reality of an empty fridge.

These stories reflect the growing problem of food insecurity on South African university campuses. Although these struggles have often been dismissed as mere anecdotes – embodied by jokes about instant noodles and grilled cheese sandwiches – the harsh reality is that hunger is affecting students’ academic performance, mental wellbeing and future prospects.

Food insecurity is driven by rising food prices, unemployment, poverty, inequality and climate change. In 2023, at least 3.7 million households faced moderate to severe food insecurity, with 1.5 million experiencing severe hunger.

Ali Sablay, from the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers, said earlier in February that the organisation fed 1,000 students in Cape Town for seven days as they arrived at university with no food or accommodation due to delays in National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) payments.

“Their parents were also all people who really struggled, so they could not even help,” said Sablay.

“Several universities from all over South Africa have reached out to us to help – the University of Cape Town (UCT), the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the University of the Free State (UFS). We are also assisting at the medical school at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha,” he said.

He said the organisation had found a sponsor, Tidal Cargo, which was paying for 500 food parcels a month to feed students.

“But the phone calls don’t stop,” said Sablay. “The first phone call for today was from a student in Limpopo who has not had any food for days.”

Students demonstrate outside UCT’s main administrative building demanding a removal of fee blocks. (Photo: Ernst Calitz)

Rising costs and stagnant allowances

In South Africa, food insecurity rates among university students range from 11% to 38.3%. Studies conducted at institutions such as the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the UFS found that more than half of students experience some level of food insecurity, with some reporting severe hunger.

Disadvantaged students in primary and secondary schools benefit from the National School Nutrition Programme, which provides daily meals. However, this support does not extend to university students, leaving many without the same safety net when they move into higher education.

The situation is further worsened by inefficiencies in the NSFAS disbursements, which often cause delays.

A second-year Wits student, who asked to remain anonymous, described how delays left him struggling to make ends meet in his first year.

“It’s really tough. NSFAS typically processes our allowances at the end of February, but by then we’ve already moved into residences. If you don’t come from a well-off family, they can’t send enough money for food. So you end up relying on others or sometimes going days without eating,” he said.

A third-year Wits student noted that many are too embarrassed to ask for help and end up going without food.

“When the year starts, there’s always frustration. The students who get by are those whose parents can send money. You’ll be at the Matrix [a shopping mall] with your friends, all eating, and you don’t want to keep asking someone to buy for you. So, sometimes, you just watch them eat,” she said.

“But some students can’t even make it to residences or attend classes because they don’t have money for food – especially those who rely only on NSFAS allowances.”

Moreover, NSFAS allowances are insufficient, failing to account for rising food, transport and living costs. For 2025, the living allowance for university students is R17,160 a year, and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students will get R14,600 to cover day-to-day expenses. Many students say this is far too little to cover all their meals.

The 2025 allowances represent the first increase in three years. University students received a 4% rise, and TVET students got a substantial 46% increase.

In early February, NSFAS spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi dismissed allegations of funding delays, saying payments are processed based on validated registration data submitted by universities.

Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane’s spokesperson did not respond to Daily Maverick’s request for comment, but speaking to the SABC, the minister said the allowance increases reflected the high cost of living and the socioeconomic challenges that students face.

A 22-year-old student from the Central University of Technology (CUT) in Mangaung, Free State, often has nothing left but a cup of sugar, half a bag of flour and an onion by the end of the month. With his mother unemployed in the Eastern Cape, he has to borrow money to eat and travel.

“I struggle to study because I’m thinking about where my next meal will come from. I do ask my mother for help sometimes, but I know her financial situation, so I’m reluctant to place that burden on her,” he said.

A second-year University of Johannesburg (UJ) student from Bushbuckridge described the toll that hunger takes on her focus. “I’ve often attended classes on an empty stomach. The stress and anxiety about where the next meal is coming from affects my mental health, which then affects my concentration,” she said.

“Ultimately, this financial strain has led to a decline in my academic performance, jeopardising my grades and progress.”

Another student from UJ pointed out the stark reality of living on such a tight budget. “I’ve written so many exams on an empty stomach. Trying to get a degree is hard enough, but when your stomach is constantly rumbling, it becomes even harder. NSFAS needs to increase its allowance…

“Honestly, I’ve considered desperate measures to survive because what can you buy with R1,650 per month? It sounds like a lot, but when you go into the stores, you realise how little it actually is,” she said.

Students protesting at UCT. (Photo: Ernst Calitz)

Balancing books and empty plates

Cape Town and its surrounding areas remain among the most unequal regions in South Africa, and this disparity is glaringly evident in its tertiary institutions. In 2022, a NSFAS report revealed that 94% of students benefiting from financial aid were African, and only 1% of white students relied on it.

Khanya Bente, who spoke to Daily Maverick earlier this year during a demonstration at UCT, remains an unregistered student and continues to rely on food donations from student organisations, a local church and UCT’s Food Sovereignty Programme.

“Honestly, what’s left to say at this point?” Bente lamented.

Many unregistered UCT students, relying on food donations, are down to just one meal a day – usually dinner.

“I have been dealing with food insecurity at university since my first year. Psychologically, that does definitely have an effect on you and how much you can commit yourself fully to your studies when you are unsure about your next meal,” said Bente.

“I find it difficult to concentrate because it does run in your mind, ‘What’s going to happen later on?’ and ‘What’s going to happen tomorrow?’”

Although some students at Stellenbosch University still fall through the cracks, it provides assistance to those facing food insecurity through various campus initiatives.

Roceshia Februarie, the SRC president, highlighted one major issue with the university’s food aid efforts: the absence of a central system to ensure consistent access to food for students in need.

Many of the initiatives rely on donations from the public and alumni, making them inconsistent. “There are periods when people donate a lot, and then there are also periods when people do not donate a lot. And, in those instances, if someone really does need assistance, they can’t rely on those initiatives consistently,” she said.

Februarie pointed out that delays in NSFAS or bursary disbursements are contributing to the problem, as students who haven’t received their allowances are unable to buy groceries.

In response, the SRC organised a soup kitchen to assist students who faced financial exclusion or delays in NSFAS payments. This initiative was especially focused on student leaders involved in the university’s welcoming programme.

UCT student protest. (Photo: Ernst Calitz)

Empty stomachs and full academic schedules

Food insecurity severely affects students’ academic performance and contributes to high dropout rates. Studies by the Analytics and Institutional Research Unit at Wits indicate that hunger affects students’ ability to concentrate, engage with their studies and maintain mental wellbeing.

Inadequate nutrition is linked to cognitive impairment, lower academic achievement and increased stress.

Food-insecure students are more likely to experience stress, fatigue and depression – conditions that disrupt both academic performance and overall wellbeing. The consequences are even harsher for students supporting their families.

A 24-year-old student at UKZN, who is the head of his household, said: “Sometimes I have to fund food for my two younger siblings or family members when unemployment hits. It becomes a struggle to make sure everyone is fed while still managing my own needs. Sometimes I only have R500 [a month] for food.”

How universities tackle hunger

Several South African universities have acknowledged the issue of food insecurity on their campuses and have implemented initiatives to support hungry students. These efforts, ranging from food banks to community gardens, aim to alleviate hunger and enable students to focus on their studies without the stress of food shortages.

At Wits, the Citizenship and Community Outreach Centre provides food and toiletries, and the Food Commons Gardens project supplies fresh produce for a communal kitchen. UJ runs a Meal Assistance Programme, offering daily meals to students not covered by NSFAS. It also has a food kitchen to alleviate NSFAS delays. The University of Pretoria offers meal credits or food parcels through its Student Nutrition and Progress Programme, funded by donations.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology provides food parcels or vouchers on a case-by-case basis. CUT runs the Thusanang project, which offers one-time assistance with food, clothes and transport. At UCT, the RainbowUCT organisation raised nearly R44,000 to help students affected by fee blocks, providing them with food donations.

UWC runs a food bank offering grocery packs to students in need, while UFS established the Food Environment Technical Committee in 2019 to tackle hunger and malnutrition, providing a meal a day and biweekly food parcels.

A 2020 booklet titled The Right to Food of Students in Tertiary Institutions in South Africa, written by Oluwafunmilola Adeniyi and Ebenezer Durojaye, acknowledges existing relief measures, but it argues that these efforts are limited, often addressing only specific cases of food insecurity, and cannot meet the widespread need.

The booklet highlights a critical gap: the lack of a robust accountability framework to ensure support for all food-insecure students. To tackle food insecurity effectively, it calls for specific policy interventions, including targeted budgetary allocations and clear roles for institutional administrations and non-state actors. DM

Donate to make a difference

Gift of the Givers has a list of vetted beneficiary students who receive monthly food aid. The charity also provides emergency relief when students have gone without food for a prolonged period. Although it has a sponsor for 500 food parcels, the organisation says it still receives continual requests for food from desperate students. To donate, you can follow this link: www.giftofthegivers.org/make-a-difference

What just under R1,600 provides

Food:

Sasko brown bread: R16.99

Salt 1kg: R19.99

White sugar 2kg: R65.99

Cooking oil 750ml: R32.99

Checkers housebrand wholegrain rolled oats 1kg: R34.99

Checkers housebrand long-life full-cream milk 1 litre: R16.99

Fair Cape Dairies strawberry full-cream yoghurt 1kg: R42.99

Cabbage: R14.99

Yeast: R14.00

Flour 2kg: R59.99

Mealie-meal 2kg: R36.99

Rice 2kg: R39.99

Sugar beans 500g: R29.99

Curry powder 200g: R29.99

Tea 52s: R24.99

Beef stock 24s: R15.99

Soup x2: R15.99

Farmhouse large eggs 18: R59.99

County Fair fresh chicken breasts 1kg: R54.99

Fair Cape Dairies 100% fruit juice 2 litre: R44.99

Lucky Star pilchards in tomato sauce 400g: R27.99

Yum Yum smooth peanut butter 400g: R47.99

Bulk banana pack 1.2kg: R34.99

Apples 1.5kg: R49.99

Lean beef mince bulk pack 1kg: R108.99

Potatoes 2kg: R44.99

Rama Original 60% fat spread 500g: R42.99

Food total: R1,031.74

Toiletries and household:

Lifebuoy bar of soap: R17.99

Surf hand washing powder 2kg: R59.99

Sunlight Summer Sensations 5-in-1 auto washing powder 2kg: R82.99

Sunlight dishwashing liquid 750ml: R36.99

Handy Andy multipurpose cleaning cream 750ml: R31.99

Chimes two-ply bathroom tissue rolls 18 pack: R139.00

Aquafresh fluoride toothpaste: R22.99

Clicks aqueous cream 500ml: R33.99

Garnier anti-perspirant roll-on deodorant 50ml: R36.99

Always Ultra pads 20 pack: R58.00

Toiletries and household total: R520.92

Food: R1,031.74; Toiletries: R520.92

Grand total: R1,552.66

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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