9 April 2021 - Wits University
A study by PRICELESS-SA and partners shows that SA’s 2018 “sugar tax” led to a reduction in purchases of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs).
This could mean that purchasers are consuming less excess sugar and calories, which suggests less obesity.
The findings are consistent with evaluations in other countries with sugar-sweetened beverages taxes, where taxing sugary drinks is an effective public health strategy to reduce the burden of health conditions linked to overconsumption of sugar.
South Africa faces an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cancers â diseases that can be linked to increased consumption of sugar, particularly from beverages.
Struggle activist and education expert Graeme Bloch has died
Graeme’s brother Lance took to social media on Friday morning to make the announcement.
Graeme was battling a neurodegenerative disease, according to his brother. He passed away this morning with his wife activist, Cheryl Carolus, by his side.
Bloch lectured at the University of the Western Cape for several years. He was a project manager at the Joint Education Trust and an executive member of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and NECC (National Eduction Crisis Committee) in the eighties.
In 2009, he also published his book “The Toxic Mix: What s Wrong with South Africa’s Schools and how to Fix it”, in which he tackled the toxic mix of factors that are causing this crisis, taking government and teachers to task for not performing as they should and highlighting the socio-economic challenges that many learners face.
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Led by a South African team at the South African Medical Research Council Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science (PRICELESS-SA) in the School of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits), and the University of the Western Cape, in partnership with the University of North Carolina, USA, the study was published on 8 April in
The Lancet Planetary Health.
South Africa faces an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cancers - diseases that can be linked to increased consumption of sugar, particularly from beverages.
Many countries, including Mexico, have used policies such as taxation to successfully curb consumption of sugary beverages.
Ramaphosa and ANC pay tribute to late education activist Prof Graeme Bloch
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Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC have paid tribute to well-known education activist and expert Graeme Bloch following his death.
Bloch, the husband of former ANC deputy secretary-general Cheryl Carolus, was described as a stalwart and veteran by the governing party.
Ramaphosa said he was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Graeme Bloch.
“We recall and honour with gratitude and admiration his contribution to our struggle, from his early days as a passionate, long haired student activist.
“We are richer as a nation for Graeme’s intellectual and organisational leadership in the education sector, ushering us towards adopting a range of policies that opened the doors to millions of historically excluded citizens. Wishing his loved ones strength at this difficult time.“