ENCA Interview: Before we invest in the future, we must feed it. Five steps to end childhood stunting.
South Africa’s stunting rate among children under 5 has remained at around 25% for decades now, with long-term effects on economic productivity and growth. In a recent op-ed, David Harrison, DGMT CEO, outlined five interventions to ENCA to reduce childhood malnutrition and improve national development outcomes.
SABC News Interview: Alcohol ban at Eastern Cape schools
In May 2025, the Eastern Cape Department of Education banned the sale and consumption of alcohol on all public school premises. This ban aligns with the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act and the South African Schools Act, both of which prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol at educational institutions. Some parents and schools argue […]
SAFM Interview: Want a stronger economy? Start by nourishing our children.
Fixing South Africa’s stunted economy starts with tackling child stunting — a widespread but under-recognised form of chronic malnutrition that limits both physical growth and brain development. DGMT CEO Dr David Harrison joins SAFM to explain why improving child nutrition is one of the most cost-effective ways to unlock the country’s long-term economic potential.
ENCA Interview: New moms are desperate in SA’s malnutrition crisis
In an interview with eNCA, Kentse Radebe, Deputy CEO at DGMT, highlighted how rising rates of shoplifting are not simply a matter of criminal intent but a deeper signal of growing poverty and desperation, particularly among families with infants. Drawing from insights in a Daily Maverick article, she unpacked how many parents are unable to […]
Daily Maverick Article: From shoplifting to watered-down formula — desperate new moms and SA’s malnutrition crisis
In South Africa there aren’t recent studies that show what is frequently shoplifted. It is assumed that alcohol, confectionary items, baby formula and food, nappies, baby clothes, meat, cheese and dairy products and toiletries are often stolen. Prices for baby formula have risen in recent years. It costs roughly R1,500 per month. The cheapest ends up […]
PowerFM Interview: The case for a Maternal Support Grant
The Maternal Support Grant (MSG), aimed at addressing maternal and child malnutrition, has been in the making for over a decade in South Africa. Despite strong evidence supporting its effectiveness and recommendations from the South African Law Reform Commission, the government has not yet implemented the grant. Concerns over cost, dependency, and policy alignment have […]
Op-ed: Fixing our stunted economy starts with eradicating stunting in children. Here are five ways to do that.
Make a list of the country’s 10 priorities for national development. Now whittle them down to five. Does your shortlist include giving children enough nutritious food to eat? If not, you’re missing an essential part of what countries need to grow their economies. Children who are well nourished and ready to learn, grow up to […]
SAFM Interview: The hidden social cost of deregulating alcohol sales
DG Murray Trust CEO David Harrison talks to SAFM about how relaxing liquor laws may boost profits, but it will not secure South Africa’s future. This interview follows the publication of his op-ed in the Sunday Times. Read it here.
ENCA Interview: Why is South Africa still waiting on the Maternal Support Grant?
The Maternal Support Grant (MSG), aimed at addressing maternal and child malnutrition, has been in the making for over a decade in South Africa. Despite strong evidence supporting its effectiveness and recommendations from the South African Law Reform Commission, the government has not yet implemented the grant. Concerns over cost, dependency, and policy alignment have […]
Daily Maverick Article: SA’s malnutrition ‘tragedy’ — death of 155 children this year alone sparks calls for urgent state action
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that since January 2025, 155 children under the age of five have died in South African public health facilities, with moderate or severe acute malnutrition as an underlying condition. This emerged in an answer to a written parliamentary question by the DA. DA MPs Michele Clarke and Bridget Masango […]
