Latest news with #MervynAbrahams
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Reduce food prices and add food wastage laws, urges anti-hunger movement
With more South African families being forced to cut nutritious food from their plates because of rising costs, advocacy movement United Against Hunger has initiated a nationwide petition campaign to exert pressure on government and retailers to reduce food prices on nutritious best buys. This comes as the latest Household Affordability Index report by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) showed a 3.1% year-on-year increase in core staples such as brown bread, cooking oil, maize meal, tea, potatoes, frozen chicken pieces, white sugar and sugar beans. United Against Hunger, which comprises the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and the Healthy Living Alliance , is demanding through its petition that retailers drop food prices for '10 best buys' including rice, long-life milk, soya, eggs, tinned fish, dried beans, peanut butter, fortified maize meal, maas and lentils. 'These foods are full of protein and energy. That doesn't mean that other foods are not important. These foods could provide high nutritional value at the lowest cost, especially for families living below the poverty line.' The movement also called on government to implement legislation on food wastage in South Africa, saying companies 'can't just throw away fresh food when people go to bed hungry'. 'We demand more public engagement in the government's draft National Food Security and Nutrition Plan. Over the years, many organisations have built public pressure to increase and top up social grants. But even if we get the significant social grant increases we have been demanding, the cost of living will undermine these victories and keep people in poverty. The R370 [grant] is hardly enough to travel to a job interview or start a small business, let alone buy enough food for the month.' According to the Household Affordability Index, core foods are bought first to ensure families don't go hungry. 'When the prices of core foods increase, there is less money to secure other important nutritionally-rich foods, which are essential for health, wellbeing and strong immune systems. These include meat, eggs and dairy which are critical for protein, iron and calcium; vegetables and fruit, which are critical for vitamins, minerals and fibre; and maas, peanut butter and pilchards, which contain good fats, protein and calcium essential for children,' said Mervyn Abrahams of PMBEJD. The data shows that the core foods contribute 54% of the total cost of the household food basket. 'At an average cost of R2,955.34 in May, these foods are relatively very expensive in relation to the total money available in the household purse to secure food. These foods must be bought regardless of price escalations. '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 wellbeing, and child development,' said Abrahams. Overall the latest Household Affordability Index report, which tracks the prices of 44 basic foods from 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town,Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba in Northern KZN, and Springbok in the Northern Cape, shows that in May the average cost of the household food basket is R5,466.59 — a 2.6% increase from R5,330 a year ago. Foods that increased by more than 5% include potatoes, onions, tea, carrots, butternut, spinach and peanut butter, while items that increased by 2% or more include samp, frozen chicken portions, fish, wors, cabbage, bananas, apples, margarine and apricot jam. Abrahams said food is bought after transport and electricity have been paid for or money set aside. 'PMBEJD calculated that workers' families will underspend on food by a minimum of 45%. In this scenario there is no possibility of a worker being able to afford enough nutritious food for her family.'
eNCA
7 days ago
- Business
- eNCA
Escalating food prices hit consumers hard
JOHANNESBURG - The cost of essential groceries has increased across the country. That's according to the May Household Affordability Index. It highlights the growing gap between our income and the cost of living, and it's only making the economic picture even bleaker. Mervyn Abrahams from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group says a basket of food with basic essential stuff ads to R5466, which is a 1% increase from a month ago. He says most increases are witnessed in staple foods like potatoes, onions, spinach and chicken. Abrahams has attributed these increases to season changes, fuel prices and retail sector increases.
eNCA
22-05-2025
- Business
- eNCA
We need innovative ways to stimulate economic growth
PIETERMARIZBURG - Finance minister Enoch Gondongwana has finally tabled his budget, at the third time of asking. WATCH | Budget 3.0 | Alarm over rising debt costs A proposed VAT hike forced a delay, largely due to political pushback that rejected the hike. It remains at 15 percent, but the fuel levy goes up in June. The Portfolio Committee on Finance is worried about budget cuts that could affect education, health and bulk infrastructure. Mervyn Abrahams from the Economic Justice and Dignity Group spoke to eNCA.
IOL News
30-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Rising food prices in South Africa: April 2025 Household Affordability Index
Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) said that the April 2025 Household Affordability Index indicated that the average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R90,94 (1.7%), from R5 329,36 in March 2025 to R5 420,30 in April 2025. Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) said that the April 2025 Household Affordability Index indicated that the average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R90,94 (1.7%), from R5 329,36 in March 2025 to R5 420,30 in April 2025. Civil society organisations have raised concerns about the rising cost of foods. Mervyn Abrahams, PMBEJD programme co-ordinator, said that in April 2025: The average cost of the Household Food Basket is R5 420,30. 'Year-on-year: The average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R83,99 (1,6%), from R5 336,31 in April 2024 to R5 420,30 in April 2025. Food pricing trends in April 2025. In April, of the 44 foods tracked in the basket: 24 foods increased in price, and 20 foods decreased in price.' Abrahams added that foods in the basket which increased in price in April 2025 by 5% or more, include: potatoes (6%), onions (11%), beef (7%), fish (7%), tomatoes (26%), carrots (20%), spinach (7%), cabbage (6%), green pepper (7%), bananas (7%), and oranges (18%). 'Foods in the basket which increased in price in April 2025 by 2% or more, include: maize meal (2%), full cream milk (2%), beef tripe (2%), cremora (3%), apricot jam (4%), and brown bread (2%).' Abrahams said that they have noticed increases in the food baskets across major cities in the month of April. 'In April 2025, food baskets in Joburg, Durban, Cape Town, Springbok and Pietermaritzburg increased in price. The Joburg basket increased by R77,58 (1,4%) month-on-month, and decreased by R52,72 (-0,9%) year-on-year, to R5 559,46 in April 2025. The Durban basket increased by R157,64 (3,0%) month-on-month, and increased by R168,23 (3,2%) year-on-year, to R5 425,23 in April 2025.' Abrahams added that the Cape Town basket increased by R11,25 (0,2%) month-on-month, and increased by R129,80 (2,5%) year-on-year, to R5 316,56 in April 2025. 'The Springbok basket increased by R242,93 (4,3%) month-on-month, and increased by R186,68 (3,3%) year-on-year, to R5 908,84 in April 2025. The Maritzburg basket increased by R138,46 (2,8%) month-on-month, and decreased by R15,84 (-0,3%) year-on-year, to R5 044,47 in April 2025.' Abrahams said that Statistics South Africa's latest Consumer Price Index for March 2025 shows that headline inflation was 2,7%, and for the lowest expenditure quintiles 1-3 it is 4,2%, 3,7%, and 3,3% respectively. 'CPI food inflation was 2,2% (for CPI Food & NAB it was 2,7%. STATS SA's Producer Price Index for March 2025 shows agriculture was 2,4%, of which, products of crops and horticulture was 9,2%, and live animals and animal products was -7.1%.' Evashnee Naidu, regional manager for Black Sash in KwaZulu-Natal, said that the organisation continues to advocate for an increase in the value of social grants across the board to the extent that these increases are able to cushion the ever-increasing blow of food price increases. 'Whilst Black Sash welcomes the fact that there will be no VAT increase in 2025, which would have had a significant impact on poorer households, South Africa continues to see food prices increase. The Black Sash amplifies its call for permanent Basic Income Support to provide additional support to individuals and households.' Aliya Chikte, project officer at the Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC), said that although food inflation is slowing down, the average cost of a household food basket is unaffordable in a context of mass unemployment and deep impoverishment. 'Even though more than half the population lives in poverty, the high rate of exclusion from the Social Relief of Distress leaves millions without the support needed to meet their immediate nutritional needs. As a new fiscal framework is tabled, we urge the government to protect and enhance social protection.' Siyanda Baduza, a researcher with the Basic Income Project at the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ), said that for the millions of grant recipients, the increase in food prices will continue to make life more difficult, as it does everyone else, even with the VAT reversal. 'The value of the child support grant and SRD grants remain far below adequate levels. Both lie below the food poverty line, now at R796, and also below all estimates of the cost to feed a child a nutritional diet.' BUSINESS REPORT
The Citizen
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Steep increase in price of household food basket means more people will go hungry
As the household food basket's price increases, low-income consumers have to remove more nutritious food from their plates. Another steep increase in the price of the household food basket in April means that more poor people and low-income consumers are going hungry as they battle to afford to feed their families. Key data from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group's April 2025 Household Affordability Index shows that the household food basket cost R5 420.30 in April. This is R90.94 (1.7%) more than in March and R83.99 (1.6%) more than in April 2024. Women from low-income communities track the prices of 44 basic food products in the monthly household food basket at 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries where they shop in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba in northern KwaZulu-Natal and Springbok in the Northern Cape. In April, 24 of the food items cost more, while the other 20 food items cost less. Food items in the household food basket that cost more include potatoes (+6%), onions (+11%), beef (+7%), fish (+7%), tomatoes (+26%), carrots (+20%), spinach (+7%), cabbage (+6%), green pepper (+7%), bananas (+7%), oranges (+18%), maize meal (+2%), full cream milk (+2%), beef tripe (+2%), Cremora (+3%), apricot jam (+4%) and brown bread (+2%). Food items in the household food basket that cost less include butternut (-7%), apples (-6%), rice (-4%), cake flour (-2%), sugar beans (-3%), salt (-2%), frozen chicken portions (-3%), stock cubes (-2%), soup (-3%), tea (-3%), margarine (-2%) and peanut butter (-2%). The household food baskets in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Springbok and Pietermaritzburg cost more than in March, while the Mtubatuba basket cost less. ALSO READ: Inflation down in March due to fuel and education prices Battle to afford the household food basket Workers who earn the national minimum wage (NMW) get R28.79 per hour, R230.32 for an 8-hour day and R4 836.72 for an average 21-day working month. In April, with 19 working days, the maximum national minimum wage for a general worker was R4 376.08. Mervyn Abrahams, programme coordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, points out that workers work to support their families and that their wages are used to support the entire family. For black South African workers, one wage must typically support four people, he says. 'Dispersed in a worker's family of four, the NMW, is R1 094.02 per person, far below the upper-bound poverty line of R1 634 per person per month, while the average cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four was R3 817.78. 'According to our calculations, using Pietermaritzburg-based figures for electricity and transport and the average figure for a minimum nutritional basket of food for a family of four puts electricity and transport, taking up R2 562.97 (58.6%) of a worker's wage. 'They only buy food after paying for transport and electricity, leaving R1 813.11 for food and everything else and therefore we calculate that workers' families underspent on food by a minimum of 52.5%. 'In this scenario, there is no possibility of a worker being able to afford enough nutritious food for her family. Even if the entire R1 813,11 all went to buy food, it would provide R453.28 per person per month for a family of four, far below the food poverty line of R796 per person.' ALSO READ: Household food basket: prices drop, but not for core staple foods Feeding a child a nutritious diet is unaffordable The situation is also dire for women and children. In April, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet was R973.25, R22.25 (2.3%) more compared to March and R13.87 (1.,4%) more than a year ago. This means that the child support grant of R560 was 30% below the food poverty line of R796 and 42% below the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet of R973.25. The child support grant was increased by R30 in April from R530 per child per month. Abrahams says the additional R30 did not make a dent in the substantial deficit that child caregivers face when trying to ensure that their children are adequately fed. ALSO READ: A R1 billion U-turn: Scrapping the VAT increase leaves no winners, just absolute chaos VAT on household food basket could be used to buy more food The effect of VAT on the household food basket is also significant, with 22 of the 44 food items in the total household food basket subject to VAT. Food items subject to VAT made up 46% of the total cost of the household food basket in April. Zero-rated food items cost R2 929.32 and foods subject to VAT R2 490.97. VAT on the total household food basket came to R324.91 in April which means that 6.0% of the household food basket was made up of VAT. Abrahams says the total rand-value of VAT on basic foodstuffs is high compared to the amount of money families have available to spend on food. 'VAT on basic foods removes money from the purse that could be spent on more food, better diversity of food and better-quality food and to buy toiletries for children and warm clothes with winter on its way.'
