Food insecurity is a challenge for most countries in the Global South. South Africa is no exception - a
significant proportion of its population still remains in poverty and is therefore vulnerable to food
insecurity. This paper argues that although South Africa is food secure at national level, such security is
only true of caloric and not nutrient requirements. A section of the country still struggles to access food
and survives on the margins – typified by the existence of malnutrition on one hand and on the other
hand, the consumption of inappropriate foods leading to obesity. Poverty and unemployment are the
major drivers of this insecurity and these should be addressed if the country aims to achieve food security
for disparate sections of the South African society. But how are affected households and individuals
coping with threats to food security? The paper shows that poor households in the country adopt a range
of strategies for survival, such as borrowing from micro-lenders, substituting foods with cheaper ones,
and disposing off assets. In conclusion, the paper points out that it is in South Africa’s power to prioritise
food security through various instruments as laid out in the country’s food security strategy.