SAHRC food inquiry ends with calls to hold retailers accountable

The national inquiry into South Africa’s food system came to a close on Thursday with renewed calls for major food retailers to account for the role they play in food prices, while SAHRC commissioners said the fight against hunger was far from over.

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) five-day inquiry featured testimony from government departments, farmers, industry bodies and food producers, and the final day was largely dedicated to deliberations on the evidence gathered throughout the week.

Commissioners also placed Shoprite’s written submission on record after the retailer did not appear before the inquiry in person.

Outside the venue in Braamfontein, members of Union Against Hunger picketed peacefully and handed over a memorandum urging the commission to compel retailers to appear before the inquiry.

The inquiry forms part of the SAHRC’s broader investigation into whether South Africa’s food system protects the constitutional right to sufficient food and nutrition, particularly for poor and vulnerable households.

Over the five days of hearings, commissioners heard that while South Africa produces enough food to feed its population, millions of people continue to struggle to afford nutritious meals.

In its submission, Shoprite said it supported the constitutional right to food and maintained that competition in the retail sector, rather than government price controls, was the best way to keep food affordable

Participants pointed to high food prices, poverty, unemployment, inequality and weaknesses across the food value chain as key drivers of food insecurity.

One of the week’s strongest messages came from health minister Aaron Motsoaledi, who described food as one of the biggest social determinants of health. He warned that poor diets contribute to malnutrition, obesity and diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, and argued that access to healthy food should be treated as a public health priority.

Agricultural organisations, including Agri SA and Grain SA, also appeared before the commission. They defended South African farming practices and said farmers were not responsible for rising food prices.

Instead, they argued that producers often receive only a small portion of the final retail price while facing increasing costs for fuel, electricity, fertiliser and transport.

The commission had expected to hear directly from major retailers, including Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Spar, Woolworths, Food Lover’s Market and Massmart on the final day.

However, Shoprite was the only retailer to submit written responses, Massmart requested a postponement, and the other retailers either declined to participate or did not appear.

In its submission, Shoprite said it supported the constitutional right to food and maintained that competition in the retail sector, rather than government price controls, was the best way to keep food affordable.

The retailer said it sources about 95% of its fresh produce locally, operates one of Africa’s largest food distribution networks and has invested heavily in keeping prices low for consumers.

It also highlighted its employment of more than 170,000 people and programmes aimed at improving food affordability.

Union Against Hunger picketers said farmers who had testified earlier in the week repeatedly blamed large retailers for pushing up food prices, making the retailers’ refusal to attend the hearings deeply concerning.

In its memorandum, the group called on the SAHRC to subpoena the retailers and continue public hearings so they could answer questions under oath.

It also urged the government to consider regulating the prices of essential nutritious foods to protect poor households from hunger and exploitation.

Receiving the memorandum, SAHRC commissioner Sandra Makoasha thanked the organisation for participating in the inquiry and said the concerns raised would form part of its deliberations going forward.

Makoasha said they would announce in due course what action, if any, the commission intended taking against retailers that failed to participate.

She also stressed that the inquiry was not ending simply because the hearings had concluded.

Closing the second leg of the inquiry, commissioners said the right to food cannot remain an empty promise while millions of South Africans continue to experience hunger.

They noted that children continue to die from malnutrition and said meaningful action from government, business and civil society would be needed to address the country’s food crisis.

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