Equal Education and two Limpopo schools have taken the Department of Basic Education to court in an attempt to force them to feed all pupils who qualify for the government’s National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP).

A report on the IoL site notes the department’s NSNP feeding scheme provides meals to over a million poor pupils in thousands of poor schools around the country.

The programme was suspended when schools were abruptly closed in March as the country entered into a stringent level five lockdown. Although schools re-opened for grades seven and 12 pupils on 1 June, with meals being provided to those at school, Equal Education (EE) wants the department 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.

Department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga confirmed they were aware of the court action they were facing, but would only say: ‘We will respond in court.’

In a statement, EE 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.

EE said the lack of NSNP provision to the pupils who were not currently at school ‘jeopardised the food security of these learners and exacerbated the severe hardship experienced within their households’.

Full report on the IoL site