The programme was suspended when schools were abruptly closed in March as the country entered into a stringent level five lockdown. Equal Education wants DBE and its nine provincial departments to provide food to the pupils who are not at school, and they are taking the department to court in an attempt to force the government to do so.
In a statement, Equal Education said it had roped in Geoff Budlender SC, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC and Thabang Pooe, as it sought to get a declaratory order that there was a duty for the government to ensure qualifying pupils received a daily meal whether their classes had resumed or not. “The closure of the NSNP impacts not only on the health and education of learners, but has knock-on effects on entire families – in a context of heightened unemployment and loss of income due to the nationwide lockdown, many families are struggling to put food on the table.
“They offered no time-frames or plans for such a roll out. The DBE claimed it did not have the capacity to roll out ‘new programmes’ despite the fact that the NSNP has been in operation since 1994, and has been widely lauded for its successes in combating learner hunger and improving learner outcomes.
Government can use the billions they waste in courts defending corruption, crazy bans and unconstitutional regulations, as well as the tax revenues from alcohol and tobacco to give every child in the country a fantastic meal every day of every year they go to school!
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