According to the Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), Eastern Cape Province is the second-highest food insecure province with at least 33% of the population regarded as food insecure, just a little below North West province at 35%. The South African Human Rights Commission made an inquiry and pronounced on malnutrition in Eastern Cape, citing unemployment and lack of resources as a major contributing factor.

The National Department of Social Development conducted an oversight visit to some schools in Amathole District that are beneficiaries of the Sanitary Dignity Programme.

The visits started at Byletts High school in Mooiplaas in Great Kei Municipality on Monday and Richard Msutu School in Adelaide in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality.

MEC Bukiwe Fanta took Social Development to one of the areas that have drawn media attention with a couple of gender related crime incidents reported in KwaMaqoma (formerly Fort Beaufort). This happened as government is building up to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign which begins on 25 November.