Business Report writes that Statistics SA (Stats SA) reported on Wednesday that consumer price inflation increased from 4% year-on-year in July to 4.3% year-on-year in August.  

Yet, public transport inflation increased from 7.6% year-on-year in July to 9% year-on-year in August.  Many minibus taxi operators made annual adjustments to their fares during August.  The fare adjustments in August led to sporadic protest action.  The major drivers behind the rise in headline inflation during August were higher price pressures on food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing and utilities, transport, and recreation and culture.  On a positive note, some elements within the taxi industry are looking to the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified petroleum gas (LPG) as alternative fuels to make taxi fares more affordable.  There are already 1,200 taxis in SA running on gas after being converted from petrol.  Meantime, the SA Reserve Bank has warned that it expects inflation to accelerate during late-2019 and the first half of 2020.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lullu Krugel and Dr Christie Viljoen at Business Report

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