“In 2024, R197m was budgeted for the Department of Basic Education’s implementation of a pilot nutrition programme for early childhood development (ECD) centres, going up to R336m the following financial year,” reported Daily Maverick (20 March 2026).
In the 2026/27 budget the amount was increased to R772m.
However, stakeholders in the ECD sector report that ‘little to nothing’ of the money has been spent.
Meanwhile,the urgent need for interventions aimed at addressing malnutrition and stunting in the early years of childhood development was highlighted in presentations by the SA Human Rights Commission.