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Amid growing food insecurity and malnutrition across Southern Africa, parliamentarians are stepping up to drive legislative solutions. From 22 to 24 July 2025, parliamentarians from across the region - are gathering  in Johannesburg, South Africa, for a high-level meeting and training organized by the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The aim is to enhance legislative capacity, foster collaboration, and operationalize the newly formed SADC Parliamentary Alliance on Agrifood Systems, Food Security and Nutrition.

This initiative comes at a pivotal time, as the region contends with overlapping shocks, from climate extremes to economic pressures, that continue to disrupt agrifood systems and widen inequality. It also builds momentum in the lead-up to the Third Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition, to be hosted in 2026 at the Pan-African Parliament headquarters in South Africa.

The event also commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Right to Food Guidelines, reaffirming the importance of national legal frameworks in securing the fundamental right to adequate food for all. In a region where undernutrition and hunger remain persistent, the meeting offers an opportunity to align parliamentary action with regional and global frameworks such as the African Union's Agenda 2063, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), and SDG 2 – Zero Hunger.

The Alliance is envisioned as a platform to foster cross-border cooperation, enabling parliamentarians to share good practices, advocate for sustainable food systems, and shape policy dialogue at national, regional, and global levels.

FAO's technical role in strengthening legal foundations

As the lead technical agency, FAO is supporting this process by providing legal expertise, delivering targeted training, and promoting the domestication of the Pan-African Parliament Model Law on Food Security and Nutrition.

As part of a global initiative funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity of Germany, FAO is equipping parliamentarians to legislate, monitor, and advance the right to food across diverse national contexts. Beyond the training, FAO's support includes technical assistance to align national laws with the Model Law's provisions—ensuring countries have the legal tools needed to address food insecurity through inclusive and rights-based approaches. This is part of FAO's broader commitment to strengthening governance mechanisms and embedding food systems transformation within sustainable development priorities.

Building on the establishment of the Alliance in December 2024, supported by FAO and the Spanish cooperation agency (AECID), the adoption of the Alliance's first work plan and the establishment of its governance structures mark the beginning of a long-term process.

Realizing the right to food requires sustained political will, robust legal frameworks, and active parliamentary engagement to protect biodiversity, support traditional food systems, and ensure that no one is left behind.

As the countdown to the 2026 Global Parliamentary Summit begins, FAO remains committed to supporting SADC parliamentarians in translating commitments into concrete, lasting impact. The road to Zero Hunger will require solid laws, inclusive institutions, and continued partnerships rooted in the shared vision of a food-secure future for all.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

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A joint meeting between the Portfolio Committee on Police and the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development today officially adopted its report recommending to the National Assembly (NA) that an Ad Hoc Committee should be established to consider allegations made by the South African Police Service KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkwanazi.

The report reflects the committees' considered view that an Ad Hoc Committee represents the most effective Parliamentary mechanism to fully investigate and deliberate on the matters raised. The committees recommended the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee in accordance with NA Rule 253, indicating that the scope of such a committee is task specific and time bound, contrary to the general oversight function of portfolio committees which, in contrast, is ongoing and often requires juggling competing priorities. The report also emphasised the need for the NA to ensure an expeditious process.

Without being prescriptive, the committees propose that the NA takes into account, should it resolve to establish an Ad Hoc Committee as recommended, the need for the process to be concluded within 90 days of the committee being established, provided that the timeframe may be amended or extended if necessary.

Given the gravity of the allegations and their potential implications for the rule of law, governance, and accountability within the criminal justice sector, the committees have resolved that a focused, multi-party Ad Hoc Committee will ensure a transparent, thorough and fair process. The committees further noted that actual composition of such a committee, as well as its terms of reference, does not reside with the joint meeting.

The meeting has reiterated Parliament's constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight over state institutions and to uphold the principles of justice, integrity and accountability. The committees also reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that this matter is handled with the seriousness it deserves and in line with the Constitution and the rules of Parliament.

The report adopted today will be submitted to the NA for consideration.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.