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IOL News
16-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Rising food costs leave Durban families struggling to make ends meet
Families in Durban are grappling with the rising cost of food, as recent findings reveal a significant increase in the average household food basket. With salaries remaining stagnant, many are left struggling to afford basic necessities. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) shared its May findings, which showed the average cost of the household food basket increased by R46.29 (0.9%), from R5 420.30 in April 2025 to R5 466.59 in May 2025. Within a year, the average cost of the household food basket increased by R136.29 (2.6%), from R5 330.30 in May 2024 to R5 466.59 in May 2025. Subashni Govender, 50, a sales assistant, from Tongaat, said she was struggling to stretch her salary through the month. 'Food prices continue to climb. I am living from hand to mouth. It is difficult to even buy basic groceries, not to mention our utility bills which are so high. By the time we pay our bills, there is not enough for food. Thankfully, I have some people who help me financially, otherwise I would not be able to survive,' she said. 'Meat is so expensive that I have not eaten it in months. I only eat chicken when it goes on sale. I mostly eat vegetables. We cannot afford to buy food at normal prices and only shop during the sales. Oil is required in all our foods and it is also so expensive. I don't know how we are going to survive if te prices get any higher." Sangitha Rampersad, 52, a single mother of two, also of Tongaat, was laid off from work last week after her company was liquidated. She is stressed about being unemployed and the rising food prices. 'Basic foods like rice, flour, oil, sugar and other big items are expensive. At least if those basic items were lower in price, we could safely feed our family. We cannot afford luxuries and don't eat take-out. "I shop for food items that would last through the month and help with lunch as well. I always sit with the different supermarket catalogues and compare them to find the cheapest deals. What do you say to someone who cannot even buy a loaf of bread? It's crippling and upsetting,' said Rampersad. Sidney Chetty, 45, a mechanic, from Stanger, said as a breadwinner the rising food costs made it difficult for him to make ends meet. 'I am the only one working in my family of four, so we have to stretch my salary for the month. My children are young, and require many necessities, which are also expensive. Sometimes we don't have enough money to buy bread but we try to budget each month to ensure we have food on the table. I don't get a fixed salary for my job. Some months are better than others but we never have enough to to splurge of luxuries. The cost of living does not allow it. 'Just buying milk, bread and maybe baked beans, already sets me back. With the price of food rising, I don't know how much longer we can survive on my salary. I wished there was a coupon system in South Africa that could help us pay less for food,' said Chetty. The PMBEJD found that in May 2025, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet was R979.66. 'Over the past month, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R6.41 (0.7%). Year-on-year, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R25.07 (2.6%),' read the PMBEJD report. THE POST
IOL News
03-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Food inflation hits hard: Household budgets feel the pinch as food prices jump
The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Image: Tracey Adams/Independent Newspapers The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Tracking prices of 44 food staples across 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in several cities, the Index reveals that the average Household Food Basket now costs R5,466.59, marking a R46.29 (0.9%) jump from April 2025 and a R136.29 (2.6%) rise from May 2024. Food inflation continues to be a critical concern as the Index indicates that of the 44 foods monitored, a staggering 33 items saw a price increase in May. Price escalations were particularly pronounced among essential staples, with onions surging by 23%, butternut rising by 9%, and carrots increasing by 8%. In contrast, only 11 foods registered a decrease in price, with rice witnessing a reduction of 5% and tomatoes dropping by 9%. The trend of rising food prices varies across different regions of South Africa. The Johannesburg food basket increased by R51.00 (0.9%) month-on-month, reaching R5,610.46. Meanwhile, Cape Town experienced the sharpest increase, with prices soaring by R112.62 (2.1%) from April to May. In stark contrast, the Springbok region saw a small decline of R28.90 (-0.5%) month-on-month, although its food prices remain 5.4% higher year-on-year. Statistics South Africa reveals that headline inflation for April 2025 stood at 2.8%, while food inflation reached a higher 3.3%. For households relying on the National Minimum Wage, which stands at R4,836.72 monthly, the financial struggle is becoming increasingly palpable. With the average cost for a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four estimated at R3,843.40, workers face a dire situation where essentials consume a majority of their income. The findings from this Month's Index further elucidate this concern. With transport and electricity alone taking up 56.3% of a worker's wage, families are left with only R2,113.75 to allocate for all remaining expenses, including food. Even allocating this amount entirely to food would provide a mere R528.44 per person per month—falling short of the food poverty line of R796. The implications for children are particularly troubling. The average cost to provide a child with a basic nutritious diet is now R979.66, while the Child Support Grant of R560 is significantly below the food poverty line, rendering it inadequate for meeting basic nutritional needs. The escalating costs emphasize the urgent need for policy responses to address food insecurity and support the most vulnerable sectors of society. Additionally, while the overall cost of household domestic and personal hygiene products saw a slight decrease of R3.58 (-0.3%) in May, the year-on-year increase underscores that these essential products continue to strain household budgets, further intensifying the financial burden on families. Cape Argus
IOL News
03-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Household budgets feel the pinch as food prices jump in May 2025
The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Image: Tracey Adams/Independent Newspapers The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Tracking prices of 44 food staples across 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in several cities, the Index reveals that the average Household Food Basket now costs R5,466.59, marking a R46.29 (0.9%) jump from April 2025 and a R136.29 (2.6%) rise from May 2024. Food inflation continues to be a critical concern as the Index indicates that of the 44 foods monitored, a staggering 33 items saw a price increase in May. Price escalations were particularly pronounced among essential staples, with onions surging by 23%, butternut rising by 9%, and carrots increasing by 8%. In contrast, only 11 foods registered a decrease in price, with rice witnessing a reduction of 5% and tomatoes dropping by 9%. The trend of rising food prices varies across different regions of South Africa. The Johannesburg food basket increased by R51.00 (0.9%) month-on-month, reaching R5,610.46. Meanwhile, Cape Town experienced the sharpest increase, with prices soaring by R112.62 (2.1%) from April to May. In stark contrast, the Springbok region saw a small decline of R28.90 (-0.5%) month-on-month, although its food prices remain 5.4% higher year-on-year. Statistics South Africa reveals that headline inflation for April 2025 stood at 2.8%, while food inflation reached a higher 3.3%. For households relying on the National Minimum Wage, which stands at R4,836.72 monthly, the financial struggle is becoming increasingly palpable. With the average cost for a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four estimated at R3,843.40, workers face a dire situation where essentials consume a majority of their income. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The findings from this Month's Index further elucidate this concern. With transport and electricity alone taking up 56.3% of a worker's wage, families are left with only R2,113.75 to allocate for all remaining expenses, including food. Even allocating this amount entirely to food would provide a mere R528.44 per person per month—falling short of the food poverty line of R796. The implications for children are particularly troubling. The average cost to provide a child with a basic nutritious diet is now R979.66, while the Child Support Grant of R560 is significantly below the food poverty line, rendering it inadequate for meeting basic nutritional needs. The escalating costs emphasize the urgent need for policy responses to address food insecurity and support the most vulnerable sectors of society. Additionally, while the overall cost of household domestic and personal hygiene products saw a slight decrease of R3.58 (-0.3%) in May, the year-on-year increase underscores that these essential products continue to strain household budgets, further intensifying the financial burden on families. IOL
