Deputy Speaker, our country is in the midst of a food security crisis. At the heart of this problem is the fact that food prices are rising so rapidly that it is now financially impossible for the majority of poor South African families to meet their basic nutritional requirements.
An analysis of Statistics SA's latest consumer-price inflation figures indicates that poor South Africans suffer much more at the hands of high inflation rates than their richer counterparts. The poorer you are, the more you become subject to higher inflation accumulated on goods and services you generally depend on, such as bread and cereals.
On a recent visit to the Philani Child Health and Nutrition Project in Khayelitsha I was taken aback and pained by how generations of South African children rely on inadequate sources of food to meet their daily nutritional intake.
The DA believes that we need to address the low levels of competition in order to deal ruthlessly with instances of collusion and make it easier for new food retailers to enter the market. In addition, we should simplify and strengthen import and export processes to allow our local food industries to grow.
Let us also support local food initiatives, such as vegetable gardens and community markets, to ensure a sustainable source of local produce. Colleagues, these steps will go a long way towards improving food security. I thank you.