New trucks for SA Harvest will improve food rescue logistics and reach underserved areas.
Johannesburg, South Africa (20 May 2025) — Non-profit organisation SA Harvest has expanded its fleet with the addition of new trucks (including a refrigerated vehicle) to improve its efforts in redirecting surplus food to communities in need!
The Johannesburg-based organisation rescues food that would otherwise go to waste; distributing it to organisations that feed hungry South Africans.
Considering that South Africa is estimated to throw away more than 10 million tonnes of food each year while around 20 million people go hungry, the food waste crisis in our country is dire.
However, Ozzy Nel, the Chief Operating Officer at SA Harvest, says it can’t be chalked down to a scarcity crisis.
“Hunger is a logistical crisis, not a scarcity crisis,” Ozzy says, adding that the new fleet of trucks are aimed at the non-profit amping up its efficiency and a “collaborative movement of food” in South Africa.
The Movers Behind the Movement
The new fleet will allow the organisation to reach more remote areas and ultimately, transport greater volumes of food. But, it’s not just about the trucks. Beyond horsepower is the power of purpose-driven partnerships, logistics providers who contribute their underutilised resources (empty return legs and short-term vehicle support) to make a difference.
In this way, SA Harvest successfully redirects surplus and what would likely become food waste.
Earlier this year, SA Harvest worked with one of the country’s largest vegetable farmers to rescue more than 200,000 kgs of surplus butternut squash at risk of going to waste due to oversupply.
With the help of several logistics partners, the veggies were collected and delivered to a whopping 40 community organisations across two provinces! This was only possible through the coordination of multiple logistics teams.
Logistics partners receive Section 18A tax certificates for their in-kind transport donations, access to environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting data and public recognition for their role.
Technology plays a central role in the organisation’s operations, with real-time analytics and a central Power BI dashboard to track key metrics, including food volumes rescued, emissions avoided, delivery efficiency, and cost savings to community partners.
As such, SA Harvest is inviting more logistics providers to join its growing network. Whether through occasional unused routes, shared warehouse space or temporary access to transport, the logistics industry can make a measurable difference.
“In the right hands, logistics becomes more than transport,” says Nel. “It becomes a bridge between waste and want – a way to create meaningful, lasting change.”
You can find out more about the non-profit, here.
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