TimesLIVE reports that South Africans are forking out over R500 more each month for basic food items compared with a year ago.

This is according to the latest Household Affordability Index, compiled by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD). The index tracks food price data from 44 supermarkets and 30 butcheries in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and Springbok. It shows that the average cost of a food basket in November 2021 was R4,272.44, while in the same month in 2022 it had been R4,835.96, a R563.52 increase. Foods that increased in price in November by more than 4% included maize meal, cake flour, samp, onions, wors, fish, carrots, apples, oranges and apricot jam. “This month sees a lot of price differences between areas, with a lot of different types of foods spiking. This month it is the Durban basket that has pushed up the price of the national average basket. [This] basket increased by R155.09,” said PMBEJD’s Mervyn Abrahams. The report indicated that in November the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet was R838.65. Year-on-year, this had increased by R93.69 or 12.6%. Abrahams said the R480 child support grant was 28% below the food poverty line of R663 and 43% below the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Suthentira Govender at BusinessLive

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