Question NW1910 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

No.

University

a) Food Bank

b) Number of students assisted

c) Funding for the projects

1

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

The university has an interim food support programme wherein students are supported with food parcels and vouchers. This is an interim measure and usually once-off depending on the student’s individual case.

To date, 226 students have been supported. The university has issued 129 food vouchers to the value of R300 per voucher and 97 food parcels to the value of R450.

CPUT has established a Task Team to investigate a campus-wide sustainable food support programme. 

2

University of Cape Town

UCT provides care packs with non-perishable food items and toiletries from donated goods and donated vouchers.

The university is in a process of developing additional food security measures to support students in need.

A total of 540 students are frequently assisted.

90 Students in unfunded study programmes which were previously funded by NSFAS receive vouchers fortnightly.

450 Unfunded or underfunded undergraduate and postgraduate students assisted with donated goods and vouchers on an ad-hoc basis when donated goods are available.

Funding is through more than one source and includes the university, fund-raising initiatives and partnerships with donors.

3

Central University of Technology

Thusanang project is a poverty alleviation project aimed at assisting all students who are financially challenged and academically deserving, particularly those without any form of financial support such as loans or bursaries during the period of their studies.

The programme seeks to support registered students by offering once-off assistance with food, clothes, and transport dependent on identified needs.

The university has provided financial support to 157 students in 2019, 86 in 2020 and 74 in 2021 to date. These are students from both campuses in Bloemfontein and Welkom.

The University has an agreement with the university cafeteria (FeedemPitseng) to supply food to students who are referred by the Student Affairs through Wellness Centre.  2 407 Vouchers were disbursed in 2019 and 316 in 2020 respectively.

Qualifying students are allocated funds into their student cards which entirely depends on the availability of funds. The amounts normally range from R1 000 to R2 000 disbursed monthly per student.

The amount available for the Poverty Alleviation Project/Thusanang is sourced mainly from income generated through the Annual CUT Golf Tournament held annually for both Bloemfontein and Welkom Campuses, and some donations from the Wellness Centre partners such as ER24 and any available volunteers.

4

Durban University of Technology

The Phakimpilo (serve life) programme commenced in 2020 during the lockdown period. The programme provided Spar vouchers to mostly postgraduate students.

The programme provided Spar vouchers to 119 students to date.

Contribution from Alumni office and DUT staff members.

Glenwood Spar donates non-perishable food items monthly.

5

University of Fort Hare

The university has a food programme aimed to assist students identified, assessed and approved to receive assistance.

There are about 850 students who expressed a need to receive food parcels. However, 30 students have thus far been assisted.

The project is funded by various external donors approached by the University. The SRC also donates to the project when funds allow.

6

University of the Free State.

UFS has food banks on all three campuses that provide nutritious food packages to students on a weekly basis.

The content of food parcels is meant to last a student for two weeks. During 2020, 5 567 parcels were distributed and 1 759 in 2021 to date.

UFS launched a vegetable garden initiative that provides fresh vegetables that are distributed in addition to the standard items included in the food parcels.

The No Student Hungry Programme aims to provide one nutritious meal per day to non-NSFAS funded students.

In 2020, 31 students benefitted from the programme and 60 in 2021 to date.

Food banks: Tiger brands donates food parcel items for the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses.

Gift of the Givers donates food parcel items for the Qwaqwa campus.

Vegetable gardens: Tiger Brands provided funding for the tunnel and vegetable boxes.

Sakata Seeds and Kwaggafontein Nursery sponsor seeds and seedlings on a continuous basis.

UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, the Institute for Groundwater Studies and University Estates also contributed in various ways.

The No Student Hungry Programme is funded from the interest received from an investment, annual corporate sponsorships and donations by individual donors.

7

 University of Johannesburg.

UJ has a Student Meal Assistance Programme which currently provides meal packs to qualifying students.

3 522 Students in total are assisted.

3 022 Students receive monthly meal packs funded by the university budget, and 500 students receive meal packs supplied by Tiger Brands.

The university’s annual budget and through Tiger Brands.

8

University of KwaZulu-Natal

UKZN has established a Food Security Task Team to develop a strategy and action plan that will realise the vision of ‘one meal a day for every student’ going forward.

Currently, limited food parcels/meal vouchers, are available to food-insecure students, on referral/request.

Day students with laboratory/practical requirements are invited onto campus on a needs basis and needy students are assisted.

Statistics are not available as only a certain percentage of residence-based students have returned to campus. 

The projects are funded through donations and sponsorships, with cash donations/sponsorship being managed via the UKZN Foundation.

9

University of Limpopo

The university has the following projects to assist students:

Assist and eat – students receive stipends – 15 students assisted

Hands of compassion – donations to needy students

Soup kitchen or a meal a day offered during the examination period.

Food parcels – non-funded students.

Rise Against Hunger on-campus project assist with non-perishable food items to needy students.  

127 Students assisted to date.

Student cafeterias.

Donations from university staff members, Student Representative Council and the Professionals Provident Fund.

10

Mangosuthu University of Technology

N/A

N/A

N/A

11

University of Mpumalanga

The university has been approached by a non-profit organisation, KagoYabana Foundation to provide free meals to needy students for a period of a month.

50 Students will be assisted.

N/A

12

Nelson Mandela University

Nelson Mandela University has a MOU with Tiger Brands who provide content to make up nutrition packs for indigent students. This MOU has been in place since 2003.

A food garden, sponsored by Tiger Brands was developed. In addition, an organic food garden was also developed. However, both food gardens are currently not operational because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

1100 Students are supported per month.

Ad hoc donations are received from university departments, staff members and the SRC to increase the content of the nutrition packs.

13

North-West University

Food hampers are provided to students

Approximately 330 students across campuses benefit from food hampers per month.

Since 2016, the university has been receiving donations from corporate sponsors and fund-raising campaigns hosted to solicit food donations from North-West University staff.

14

University of Pretoria

The University of Pretoria Student Nutrition and Progress has been in practice since 1990. The aim of the programme is to foster higher quality education by:

a) Alleviating needy students’ short-term hunger while giving them nutrition to enhance their learning capacity to enable them to complete their studies;

b) Equip students with knowledge and skills to develop and sustain themselves; and

c) Display a high level of commitment towards the well-being of students on all levels.

250 Students are assisted through this programme monthly.

The programme is primarily funded internally through the institutional budget which is further supplemented by ad hoc donations done through fundraising and a student food drive.

15

Rhodes University

N/A

N/A

N/A

16

SefakoMakgatho University

SMU has a vibrant food security project called Hands of Compassion, established in 2016 to assist students who are not beneficiaries of any financial support.

To date, 354 students are enrolled in the project and each one receives a monthly food voucher of R800. However, the number of students assisted differs from month to month. Students are excluded from the project as soon they receive funding from NSFAS or any other sponsor.

The project is funded through the annual budget allocated to the Department of Student Affairs and Residences, as well as contributions from the Student Representative Council and staff members.

The university is in a process of securing additional funding for the project.

17

Sol Plaatje University

N/A

N/A

N/A

18

University of South Africa

N/A

N/A

N/A

19

Stellenbosch University

The university has a main food project called #Move4food which is focused on assisting in emergency situations and is usually a once-off financial assistance.

Since March 2021, students are provided with digital food vouchers that allow students to purchase food items of choice at either Shoprite, Usave or Checkers local supermarkets.

Between January 2021 to 20 August 2021, a total number of 383 students have been assisted.

The university also receives support from three different food catering companies that are situated on the Tygerberg and Stellenbosch campuses, which are sponsoring meals for students.

20

Tshwane University of Technology

TUT has the following programmes, which address the needs of needy unfunded students. 

The Food Hamper Crisis intervention programme which is an emergency relief intervention addressing the basic psychosocial need that is adversely affecting students’ physical and mental health. The programme provides immediate, short-term crisis relief when there is an imminent threat to a student’s physical health and or hygiene care by providing a portion of basic food and hygiene hamper that deserving needy students receive once a month.

 The Assist A Student programme addresses the basic needs of needy unfunded students.  After rigorous screening, the students are given a monthly meal allowance of R500 paid through Fundi card for the academic year or until they get funding from either NSFAS or any other sponsor.  The recipients of the meal allowance are assisted for one academic year only, should they still need the meal allowance in the following year they have to go through the application process.

Applications are open throughout the year. By the end of July 2021, a cumulative number of 341 students received meal allowances from the Assist A Student program.  Recipients are based across all nine campuses

The Gift of The Givers Foundation is sponsoring the TUT Food Hamper Crisis intervention program. The foundation supplies the university with 250 food hampers monthly and 250 hygiene packs which consist of personal hygiene products and household detergents on an ad-hoc basis as this depends on the availability of resources.

 The Assist A Student program was established from a ‘seed fund’ which was granted by the then University’s Executive Management Committee.  The Student Affairs Executive Committee then resolved to allocate a share to the Assist A Student programme from the Student Extracurricular levy which is mandatory for each registered student.  Currently, R17 of this levy goes toward the Assist A Student funding.

21

Vaal University of Technology

No response received

22

University of Venda

The University provides food parcels through its project Thohoyanzie. It also has a Social Responsibility Fund which is intended to assist needy students, coordinated by the Convocation and Alumni Office. Students are assisted as and when they approach the university for assistance.

During the second semester in 2020, the university received food parcels donated by the Professional Provident Society Foundation and handed them to indigent students. There was also a period when the Service Provider for the Student Bar on Campus provided free meals to a group of needy students daily.

No specific number provided.

The projects are funded through donations from companies / organisations, alumni and individuals, including UNIVEN staff and students as well as the SRC.

23

Walter Sisulu University

N/A

N/A

N/A

24

University of the Western Cape

UWC provides ad-hoc food support programmes for residence students, sports athletes and for emergency relief, especially during the examination period.  

To date, 1 200 students have been supported.

The main support comes from Tiger Brands.  Occasionally, Shoprite, Checkers and Pick ‘n Pay provide support to deserving students.

25

University of the Witwatersrand

The university provides monthly food packs, food gardens and a daily meal programme

+/- 2 000 Students

The university receives funding from corporate sponsors, although Council funds are set aside for the programme in the event of funding not being sourced.

26

University of Zululand

N/A

N/A

N/A

No.

TVET College

a) Food Bank

b) Number of students assisted

c) Funding for the projects

1

Goldfields TVET College

Yes

92 Students

Lecturer contributions.

2

False Bay TVET College

Yes

5 100 Students

Peninsula School Feeding Association.

3

Northlink TVET College

Yes

29 000 Students

Funded by the college and Peninsula Feeding Scheme

4

South Cape TVET College

Yes

334 Students

Funded by the college and donations from the municipalities in the Eden District (Southern Cape Region), and non-governmental organisations.