As South Africa approaches this year’s budget speech on 25 February 2026, attention often focuses on unemployment, national debt, and inequality. Yet one policy with the potential to improve the lives of South Africans—particularly the poorest—rarely receives the spotlight it deserves: the Health Promotion Levy (HPL), better known as the sugary drinks tax. Thabiso Tema spoke to Zuki Zimela, Communications Manager at HEALA