Government to Shift Gear in the Fight Against Child Stunting

The South African government will this year embark on a massive drive to end child stunting and malnutrition. President Cyril Ramaphosa informed a joint sitting of Parliament for the State of the Nation Address on 12 February that this initiative was in line with the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children, and that 2030 was the target date to end the scourge.

He said: "We will focus on the crucial first 1 000 days of a child's life. We will implement targeted interventions to ensure that pregnant women and low birth-weight children get the protein and nutrients that they need.

"This is a massive crisis that demands attention and resources. The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement will set out a clear allocation for the actions we need to take," President Ramaphosa said.

He identified excessive alcohol consumption among pregnant mothers as the prime cause of stunting. "A major contributor to child stunting is excessive alcohol consumption, which can affect children's development during pregnancy. Alcohol abuse leads to violence, road accidents and crime."

President Ramaphosa cited that a quarter of children under five are stunted, and that this increased their risk of disease and affected their ability to learn and grow. "This is devastating to families and has an impact on our society as a whole," he said.

The National Assembly Speaker, Ms Thoko Didiza, had earlier characterised the State of the Nation Address as, "the highest formal expression of executive accountability to the people of South Africa"; it is not simply a ceremonial function.

Sibongile Maputi
17 February 2026