Learning from the Pandemic: Structural Implications of Food Parcel Distribution Scheme in South Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33086/cdj.v7i2.5024Keywords:
Food distribution scheme; anti-corruption mechanism; local market support; Covid-19; maladministrationAbstract
The lack of inclusive governance and collaboration among various stakeholders and institutions to develop long-term strategies to alleviate food insecurity is an emerging pandemic during times of distress. The objective of the study is to develop an anti-corruption mechanism (food distribution aptitude for eligibility) that can remedy the structural implications of food parcel corruption during a pandemic. A qualitative exploratory review approach was adopted in the study. The reviewed studies revealed that the currently existing systems of food distribution failed due to poor recipient identification and vetting, systems manipulation by officials, lack of tracking devices during distribution, and ghost recipients. The study concludes that the divisions, bureaucracy, maladministration and corruption revealed in literature among the government have adversely impacted the welfare of the vulnerable and marginalized groups who reside in the informal settlements. Those in need of food parcels suffer at the hands of corrupt officials and their family members due to an unmonitored distribution scheme. The study model is expected to assist non-profit organizations, and government initiatives in selecting worthy beneficiaries during and post pandemics. The model is also expected to assist in removing the potential ills of the system, minimize system manipulation and corruption, and ensure transparency during food parcel distribution to the needy in times of distress.
Downloads
References
Adithya, R., Singh, A., Pathan, S. and Kanade, V., (2017). Online food ordering system. International Journal of Computer Application, 180(6), pp.22-24.
Al Abid, F.B. and Karim, A.R., (2017). Cross-platform development for an online food delivery application. In 2017 International Conference on Computing Networking and Informatics (ICCNI) (pp. 1-4). IEEE. doi: 10.5120/ijca2017916046. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5120/ijca2017916046
Baraka, G.E. and Murimi, S.K., 2021. Why geographic information systems in spatiotemporal crime analysis? Attitude of Kenyan police officers. Police Practice and Research, 22(5), pp.1453-1468. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337232218 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2019.1689131
Bogoch II, Watts A, Thomas-Bachli A, Huber C, Kraemer MUG, Khan K., (2020). Potential for global spread of a novel coronavirus from China. J Travel Med. 27(2):taaa011. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaa011. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taaa011
Chavan, V., Jadhav, P., Korade, S. and Teli, P., (2015). Implementing customizable online food ordering system using web based application. International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, 2(4), pp.722-727. http://ijiset.com/vol2/v2s4/IJISET_V2_I4_112.pdf
Corburn, J., Vlahov, D., Mberu, B., Riley, L., Caiaffa, W.T., Rashid, S.F. et al., 2020, ‘Slum health: Arresting COVID-19 and improving well-being in urban informal settlements’, Journal of Urban Health 97, 348–357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-020-00438-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-020-00438-6
de Rooij, L. L., & Verweij, P. (2020). Feeding cities and migration: Urban food systems in a spatial environmental perspective (No. 3002). Wageningen Environmental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18174/520018
Devereux, S., 2021. Social protection responses to COVID-19 in Africa. Global social policy, 21(3), pp.421-447. https://doi.org/10.1177/14680181211021260 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14680181211021260
Hart, T.G., Davids, Y.D., Rule, S., Tirivanhu, P. and Mtyingizane, S., 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic reveals an unprecedented rise in hunger: The South African Government was ill-prepared to meet the challenge. Scientific African, 16, p.e01169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01169 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01169
Hartley DM, Perencevich EN., (2020). Public Health Interventions for COVID-19: Emerging Evidence and Implications for an Evolving Public Health Crisis. JAMA.323(19):1908-1909. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.5910 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.5910
Hiropoulos, A. & Porter, J. (2014). Visualising property crime in Gauteng : applying GIS to crime pattern theory. SA Crime Quarterly, 2014, 17-28. DOI: 10.4314/sacq.v47i1.2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/sacq.v47i1.2
Hosken, G. (2018). The fight back against cash heists is on – and technology should be the ultimate weapon. Times Live, July 24, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2022 (https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-07-24-the-fightback-against-cash-heists-is-on--and-technology-should-be-the-ultimate-weapon/).Google Scholar
Imtyaz A, Abid Haleem, Javaid M., (2020). Analysing governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic. J Oral Biol Craniofac Res. 10(4):504-513. doi:10.1016/j.jobcr.2020.08.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobcr.2020.08.005
Jones, G.A., Ikemura Amaral, A. and Nogueira-Teixeira, M.N., (2020). Mixing food with politics: how COVID-19 exposed inequalities in Brazil’s food supply chain. LSE Latin America and Caribbean Blog. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/latamcaribbean/2020/06/19/mixing-food-with-politics-how-covid-19-exposed-inequalities-in-brazils-food-supply-chain/
Kapoor, A.P. and Vij, M., (2018). Technology at the dinner table: Ordering food online through mobile apps. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 43, pp.342-351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.04.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.04.001
Mafumbabete, C., Chivhenge, E., Museva, T., Zingi, G.K. and Ndongwe, M.R., 2019. Mapping the spatial variations in crime in rural Zimbabwe using geographic information systems. Cogent Social Sciences, 5(1), p.1661606. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2019.1661606 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2019.1661606
Mahlangu T., (2020a). Government to Tackle Food Parcel Corruption. https://www.corruptionwatch.org.za/government-to-tackle-food-parcel-corruption/
Mahlangu T., (2020b). Poor planning a factor in food parcel corruption. https://www.corruptionwatch.org.za/poor-planning-a-factor-in-food-parcel-corruption/
Mbhense K. (2020). Sassa gives clarity on who qualifies for food parcels. Accessed on 25 Nov 2022 at https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/sassa-gives-clarity-on-who-qualifies-for-food-parcels/
Mudau, P., 2022. The Implications of Food-Parcel Corruption for the Right to Food during the Covid-19 Pandemic in South Africa. ESR Review: Economic and Social Rights in South Africa, 23(2), pp.4-9. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-esrrev-v23-n2-a2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4174181
Reddy, K.S., Chaitanya, K.G.K., Abhinav, M. and Feiroz, K.T.H., (2016). An online food court ordering system. J Inf Technol Softw Eng, 6(4), pp.6-8. DOI: 10.4172/2165-7866.1000183 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4172/2165-7866.1000183
Simpson T. (2020). Huge levels of corruption highlighted in Corruption Watch report. Accessed on 1 Dec 2022 at https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/levels-of-corruption-in-south-africa/
Tarafdar, J.C., Sharma, S. and Raliya, R., (2013). Nanotechnology: Interdisciplinary science of applications. African Journal of Biotechnology, 12(3), pp. 219-226. DOI: 10.5897/AJB12.2481 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB12.2481
Visagie, J. and Turok, I., (2021). Rural–urban inequalities amplified by COVID-19: evidence from South Africa. Area Development and Policy, 6(1), pp.50-62. https://doi.org/10.1080/23792949.2020.1851143 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23792949.2020.1851143
World Health Organization. 2020 Jan 30 [cited 2020–06–01]. In: WHO webset [Internet]. Sichuan, China. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30–01-2020-statement-on-the-second-meeting-of-theinternational-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regard.
Zhou P, Yang XL, Wang XG, Hu B, Zhang L et al. A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin. Nature. 2020 Mar;579(7798):270-273. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2012-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2012-7
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Oratilwe Mokoena, Tshepo Ramarumo, , Solly Matshonisa Seeletse, Sam Thembelihle Ntuli
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
