She said after Covid19, the organisation received alarming news about hunger levels due to breadwinners dying or losing their jobs. "Hunger is not something new but it was made much worse by Covid19. "We feed 23,000 a day in our 50 soup kitchens. That is a drop in the ocean it is roughly 4,600 families. "We have heard stories offamilies going three days without food," said Conradie. "Many times our soup kitchens can't keep up with the demand," The Dispatch reported last year that nine children had died in Butterworth as a result of malnutrition. "That paints the reality that families and unemployed single mothers are going through, and how tragically they are pushed to the point where a mother takes her children's lives and her own." Bongeka Buso, who killed herself and her children this week, had benefited from a soup kitchen. "Besides delivering food parcels, we as South Africans need to look at more sustainable ways to help our communities. "The grant money is not enough. Some of that money has to be used to travel to towns for groceries, sanitary towels, electricity and other things." SA Human Rights Commission provincial manager Dr Eileen Carter said: "The SAHRC initiated an inquiry during the latter part of 2022 to comprehensively investigate the underlying factors contributing to malnutrition among children in the province and the tragic consequences that entail. "This inquiry sought to unravel the complex web of challenges that push families to the brink of desperation, addressing both the immediate and systemic causes of these distressing incidents. "As we finalise our recommendations ... we earnestly call upon all stakeholders, including government bodies, civil society organisations, corporate entities and concerned citizens, to come together with a shared sense of purpose. "It is essential that we collaborate to bridge the gaps in our social safety nets with support mechanisms and provide access to basic necessities. The SAHRC recognises that malnutrition and poverty are intertwined issues that demand a multifaceted approach for effective resolution. "By working collectively, we can identify innovative solutions, allocate resources strategically, and implement measures that provide immediate relief to families in crisis."

Source: Daily Dispatch