SowetanLive reports that maize meal, cooking oil, sugar beans, spinach and wors were some of the food items that went up in the past month, pushing the cost of an average household food basket up by R50.32 from R5,383.38 in December 2024 to R5,433.70 in January.

The basket increased by R108,84 from R5,324.86 in January 2024 to R5,433.70 in January 2025. Last week, in an unprecedented move, Parliament had to cancel Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech over disagreements among members of the government of national unity on increasing VAT by two percentage points. This would have taken VAT to 17%. “Foods subject to VAT make up 47% of the total cost of the household food basket. VAT on the total household food basket came to R331,02 in January 2025,” the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD) noted. It went on to indicate: “This means 6.1% of the household food basket is made up of VAT. A tax of R331,02 is nearly the same cost of a large household's requirement of 30kg maize meal per month. VAT on basic foodstuffs is still high and removes food off the plate.” Food and petrol prices are but a few things that contribute to the high cost of living, making it difficult for many SA households to make ends meet. "The high cost of core staple foods results in a lot of proper nutritious food being removed off the family plates. The consequences of high costs on the core foods has a negative impact on overall household health and well-being and child development,” the PMBEJD said.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sibongile Mashaba at SowetanLive

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