In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to end child stunting by 2030, aligning with global goals to combat malnutrition. Stakeholders in the children's sector have welcomed the commitment but seek details on government interventions. The pledge focuses on early childhood nutrition and development amid concerns over high stunting rates in South Africa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his State of the Nation Address on 12 February 2026, committed to a mission to end child stunting by 2030. This initiative aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2, which targets the elimination of all forms of malnutrition by that year. Stunting, characterized by impaired growth and development due to poor nutrition, affects one in four children under five in South Africa—a rate higher than the global average.
The government's approach, outlined in the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children approved in November 2025, emphasizes the first 1,000 days of a child's life. It builds on the Child Support Grant to provide targeted support, ensuring pregnant women and low-birth-weight children receive necessary proteins and nutrients. Ramaphosa also highlighted excessive alcohol consumption as a major contributor to stunting, pledging stronger regulations on liquor outlets, trading hours, container sizes, minimum unit pricing, higher excise duties, and advertising restrictions.
Civil society responses have been positive yet cautious. David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust, described the alcohol acknowledgment as 'hugely significant' but noted industry influence delaying the Liquor Amendment Bill, introduced to Parliament in 2025 after public comment in 2016. The Maternal Support Grant Advocacy Coalition pushes for a nine-month income support for expectant mothers, though Ramaphosa did not explicitly endorse it. Harrison suggested alternatives like multiple micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy and expanding the Khulisa Care programme, launched in August 2025 in the Western Cape.
Early childhood development (ECD) experts, including Tshepo Mantjé of the Equality Collective and Julika Falconer of Zero2Five, stressed enhancing nutrition in ECD centres. The current subsidy of R24 per child per day allocates about R9 for meals, which they deem insufficient. Mantjé pointed to local government barriers in the Bana Pele registration drive, such as delays in environmental health certificates and subsidy payments. Mark Heywood of the Union Against Hunger called for a detailed action plan with accountability, budgeting, and community involvement.
The Legal Resources Centre highlighted ongoing subsidy payment failures in KwaZulu-Natal, urging court intervention to address these issues amid national stunting concerns.
