Chairperson, the ANC government introduced a National School Nutrition Programme as one of its pro-poor programmes through which it continues to be a caring government to those who are disadvantaged. Millions of learners who are in quintile 1, 2 and 3 schools are benefiting from this programme. In most cases, for these learners this is the only nutritious meal they get for the day.
As the ANC, we strongly condemn what happened at Kwena Tshwena Primary School in Limpopo, where we saw learners rushed to hospital after eating food with crushed glass in it. It is alleged that this incident was due to a fight between service providers.
We are aware of the steps that the department has taken to make sure that such people face the full might of the law, and we urge the department to make sure that they get the harshest discipline, which they deserve. We further urge the Department of Basic Education to closely monitor this nutrition programme in all provinces, to make it a goal that we never again encounter such behaviour in future and to see to it that learners get the good, nutritious meals they deserve. I thank you.