South Africa is considered a ‘food-secure’ nation, producing enough calories to
adequately feed every one of its 53 million people. However, the reality is that, despite
some progress since the birth of democracy in 1994, one in four people currently suffers
hunger on a regular basis and more than half of the population live in such precarious
circumstances that they are at risk of going hungry.
The numbers of people facing hunger can be estimated at some 13 million in total. These numbers are disturbing,
but behind every statistic is a face with a story about what it is like to face hunger in a nation where the few have
plenty. This paper is based on the testimonies of women and men, urban and rural, and elucidates what it feels
like to face hunger on a regular basis or to be constantly afraid of this threat.