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The food situation in Bulawayo - a case study of Bulawayo urban high-density areas
Report complied by Habakkuk Trust for The Christians Together for Justice and Peace
June 2003

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Executive Summary
This survey was carried out to investigate the food situation in selected high-density areas of Bulawayo with the aim of investigating the levels of hunger in the urban areas. This survey is the brainchild of Christians Together for Justice and Peace due to their concern at the levels of poverty, hunger and malnutrition in urban areas, especially in light of the current basic food shortages in the country. The realization was that the majority of donor organizations are concentrated in the rural areas. CTJP therefore felt there was a need to carry out an objective survey on the food situation in urban areas, Bulawayo high-density locations in particular. The aim of the survey was to detect what and at the same time how much was being done to assist the needy or disadvantaged urban populace.

The survey’s main target areas were old locations although other new locations were included. A total of 15 locations were targeted during this survey, which ran for 5 working days. These areas are Makokoba, Mzilikazi, Nguboyenja, Iminyela, Mabutweni, Old Pumula, Old Lobengula, Njube, Sizinda, Tshabalala, Tshabalala Extension, Mpopoma South, Nkulumane (Glen Kara), Nketa (6,7,8and 9), and Emganwini. From these areas randomly selected respondents were probed for opinions on various issues relating to the food situation.

The first question required the respondents to give the number of meals they take per day. It was revealed that a larger number of people have reduced the number of meals they take per day. For those who have not, the quality and quantity of food has been affected. For example, those who used to take three distinct meals per day, i.e. breakfast (to include at least bread), lunch (sadza) and supper no longer do so. Due to the scarcity of mealie-meal, some now take tea in the morning and afternoon and sadza once in the evening. It is of note again that this tea is taken with nothing to go with it, as bread is scarce or too expensive at the available black market rate.

Most respondents registered great shortfalls in their monthly requirements with only a few unique cases registering none at all. For the majority it was actually difficult to pinpoint the shortfall as they were operating on an already insufficient amount of food due to the prevalent shortages.

Notably there have been incentives to enable access to, particularly mealie meal in most if not all the target areas. However due to their inconsistency in supply, discriminate approach (e.g. orphans only or widows) and corruption, they have left people with nowhere to turn to for food. Most had had access to the food from Taskforce (also referred to as a council initiative, government, Residents Association by some respondents) three times at the most. Although most residents were grateful for the efforts that were there, they have been frustrated by the insufficient allocations as well as the inconsistency of the initiatives. Frustration also sprang from the fact that some of the methods were not all encompassing, thus leaving some parts of society outside the entire food-receiving bracket. For example if a given group does not fall into the residents, sick, Aids Orphans, widowed, elderly, Plan International or a given schools programmes they are automatically sidelined.

There are also other initiatives currently in place, for example the schools programmes where pupils and students have access to biscuits and porridge. There are other feeding supplements for the sick, elderly and AIDS orphans. Organisations like World Vision, Plan International and Churches like Roman Catholic seem to have been playing a pivotal role in seeking to combat hunger. It is notable that however, so much still remains to be done if the urban populace is going to overcome starvation.

Summary of findings

• Increased levels of hunger and malnutrition (Starvation) in urban areas
• Many families have reduced their number of meals.
• Collapse of the formal economy as depicted by the sprouting of the parallel market and the informal sector.
• Unemployment, which has in turn fuelled crime as exemplified by revelations of thievery (burglary and pick pocketing) and prostitution (also child –prostitution) as a means of income in many cases to overcome the problem of hunger.
• Increase in the number of orphans due to the AIDS pandemic and these need food aid although a number of programmes are put in place for this.
• Increase in the number of child headed households or elderly people headed households with a great percentage of dependent orphans
• Single parent homes mainly female headed.
• Early marriages and juvenile parenting

Overall Analysis, Conclusion and Recommendations
The foregoing survey results indicate an ominous crisis in the urban areas, one that warrants intervention not only from the government but the Non-governmental sector alike. This intervention is long overdue. There is hunger in urban areas:

• As already explained, it’s not only the change in the number of meals that has changed but the nutritional value of what the people have opted for that is also of concern. The quality and quantity of food has been distressed.
• The generality of the populace is virtually starving and struggling to make ends meet.
• The initiatives are good and welcome but they have their own setbacks which are worth noting:
  1. The taskforce initiative for example emerges as the cheapest non-free method to access mealie meal. However due to its inconsistency, it leaves residents in a predicament.
  2. The black market is reliable in the sense that basics are always available there. The exorbitant prices are far beyond the means of the average citizen. The fact that people still buy from there does not equate to affordability but rather despair. The citizenry has been pushed to extremes at a time when endurance has become of a way of life.
  3. The other free initiatives are not all encompassing. Parts of society that do not fall within the targeted groups are left with nothing to turn to.

The consequences of the current crisis have already been outlined above. The unemployment figures as well as the numbers that have resorted to crime as reveals this survey are only a brief summary of what is happening not only in the city but the nation at large. The implementation of legislative undertakings that would channel food aid towards urban areas is long overdue. There is a deafening call to the powers that be, i.e. the government, the Non governmental Organisations, donor community as well as the Christian community to chip in with an all encompassing helping hand if the nation is to survive.

Outline of Initiatives in Urban Bulawayo

• Taskforce (government council, village headman, Supermarket (Manemo, Chifamba, Mpansa and Ilanga Foods fall within this bracket) -Sells
• World Vision-Distributes for free to selected groups in the community
• Plan International-Distributes for free to selected groups
• Strive-Distributes for free
• Basic Care-Distributes for free
• Christian Care-Free
• Ithemba Lentandane-Free (Orphans)
• Khayelihle-Free (Orphans)
• Roman Catholic-Free (Orphans)
• Red Cross-Free
• Good Hope-Free

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