On August 13, 2024, the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS) and FoodSafety4Africa hosted a hybrid stakeholder engagement, the Food Imbizo at the ProteaHotel@Hatfield in Pretoria. The event brought together 97 attendees—50 in person and 47 online—including researchers, policymakers, civil society, and the private sector. This diverse group explored the nexus of food safety, microbes, and nutritional impacts within South Africa’s diverse food landscape.

The Food Imbizo was a key platform for stakeholders to assess current policies, legal frameworks, and the institutional capacities affecting food safety governance. Discussions highlighted several pressing challenges, from fragmented governmental approaches to water quality concerns, informal sector dynamics, and enforcement gaps in food safety regulations. Key recommendations from the event included enhancing water quality assessments, updating food safety studies, broadening food safety frameworks to include nutritional perspectives, and fostering inter-departmental collaborations to strengthen governance across South Africa’s food systems. The event was graced by six presenters who really brought out food safety dynamics in the informal sector.

• Lise Korsten (University of Pretoria, Director of DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security). Highlight: Emphasized the Centre’s decade-long research in food safety, focusing on compliance with food safety standards and shifting attention towards the informal food sector.
• Frank Maanda Vhuromu (South Africa Informal Traders Alliance – SAITA). Highlight: Discussed SAITA’s advocacy for informal traders’ rights, emphasizing their economic contribution and collaboration with municipalities on regulations.
• Mary Dikeledi Ngema (Informal food trader, Pretoria). Highlight: Highlighted food safety training for informal traders and the sector’s role in employment, countering misconceptions about the cleanliness of informal food.
• Mbulaheni Thomas Mutengwe (Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development – DALRRD). Highlight: Focused on the food control system for agricultural products, noting challenges such as pesticide residue monitoring and inadequate food safety enforcement.
• Penny Campbell (Department of Health, Director of Food Control). Highlight: Stressed the importance of food safety in the informal sector, addressing low risks despite initial assumptions, and the role of capacity-building programs for traders.
• Mxolisi Mchunu (South African Local Government Association – SALGA). Highlight: Discussed SALGA’s regulatory framework for informal traders, focusing on infrastructure, permit fees, and legal support for traders’ rights.

The dialogue emphasized the critical role of involving marginalized communities, particularly informal farmers and traders, in decision-making processes related to food safety governance. It identified community-led research and advocacy as potential tools for driving social change and ensuring that food safety solutions are inclusive and equitable.

Speakers highlighted the informal economy as a crucial yet underutilized resource for addressing food insecurity, unemployment, and crime in South Africa. Additionally, concerns were raised about the impact of climate change, urbanization, and poverty on food safety. Specific challenges identified included the insufficient resources at the local municipal level to enforce food safety regulations and the disparity between regulations for export products versus those intended for local consumption. The conversation underscored the need to address these gaps by enhancing governance, improving coordination across departments, and expanding the understanding of food safety to include risks posed by ultra-processed foods and unhealthy dietary habits increasingly prevalent in the country and contributing to rising public health concerns.

The Food Imbizo event was an eye-opening event that underscored the urgency of enhancing food safety governance in South Africa. By addressing gaps in regulation, fostering better collaboration between government bodies, and ensuring that all communities are represented in decision-making, the country can build a more resilient, safe, and sustainable food system. The event’s key takeaways will inform ongoing efforts to improve food safety across the nation, ensuring that all South Africans have access to safe, nutritious food.

The event was a success, offering a space for knowledge exchange, networking, and building momentum toward collective food safety solutions. As Africa continues to address food insecurity, the insights from the Food Imbizo will serve as a valuable guide for future policy-making and on-the-ground interventions.