In a nation where millions of tons of edible food are wasted each year while nearly 20 million people go hungry (Stats SA), the logistics sector has a vital role to play. By turning surplus into sustenance and empty return legs into life-giving deliveries, transporters have a unique opportunity to serve not just the economy, but humanity. SA Harvest’s latest fleet expansion shows how strategic logistics partnerships can become a lifeline for communities — and a rallying call to the broader trucking industry to take the wheel in the fight for food security.
SA Harvest, the food rescue and hunger relief organisation tackling systemic hunger, has added seven new FUSO trucks to its national fleet – including a refrigerated unit – to enhance its food redistribution logistics. This development strengthens SA Harvest’s mission to “rewire” South Africa’s food system by transforming logistical gaps into life-changing supply chains.
“Hunger is a logistical crisis, not a scarcity crisis,” says Ozzy Nel, COO of SA Harvest. “We’re not trying to build the biggest fleet, but the smartest, most collaborative movement of food in the country.”
Nel adds that every year, South Africa discards massive quantities of surplus food while millions go without meals. SA Harvest’s model responds to this imbalance with targeted, data-driven distribution – creating an efficient, ethical and environmentally sensitive food logistics network.
The new trucks, including five FUSO FA9 units and two FUSO FJ freight carriers, expand SA Harvest’s ability to operate in remote and underserved areas while maintaining the quality of perishable, nutrient-rich goods. This capability directly supports the organisation’s ethos: dignified, consistent access to nutritious food.
“Each vehicle is more than a delivery van – it’s an extension of a system designed to offer stability, nourishment and hope to vulnerable households,” Nel continues.
Collaborative logistics: a model for impact
SA Harvest’s logistics engine is fuelled by partnerships. Rather than duplicating efforts, it leverages spare fleet capacity, unused return routes and temporary support from transporters nationwide, Nel explains.
A compelling example unfolded recently when over 200 000 kilograms of surplus butternut squash – facing waste due to seasonal oversupply – was rescued in collaboration with a major vegetable farmer and multiple logistics partners. Within days, this produce was collected and distributed to over 40 community-based organisations across two provinces.
These partnerships yield measurable rewards for logistics providers too: including Section 18A tax certificates for in-kind donations; ESG reporting data such as emissions reductions; and public recognition for contributions to an innovative, systems-based hunger relief model, adds Nel.
Real-time analytics and a central Power BI dashboard allow SA Harvest to monitor food volumes, emissions avoided, delivery efficiency and cost savings to partners.
“This digitised infrastructure – including vehicles, depots and data systems – underpins a transparent and future-fit humanitarian supply chain,” Nel adds.
Call to action: Truckers against hunger
SA Harvest is actively inviting logistics players – from owner-drivers to national fleet operators – to contribute to this growing movement. Whether it’s spare warehouse space, an empty truck bed on a return trip, or seasonal capacity, your resources can make an immediate difference.
“In the right hands, logistics becomes more than transport. It becomes a bridge between waste and want – a way to create meaningful, lasting change,” Nel concludes.
Editor’s comment: The trucking sector has long been the backbone of South Africa’s economy and by joining SA Harvest in its noble mission, transport operators can extend a lifeline to hungry citizens. SA Harvest’s model proves that with minimal disruption to existing operations, transporters can redirect the tide of waste and rewrite the story of hunger in our country. The invitation is clear: turn your empty load space into full plates! If any transporter wants to help in any way, please email us at fleetwatch@pixie.co.za. and we’ll get the buns in the oven.
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