The latest information from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity group (PMBEJD) shows that food prices in South Africa continue to climb – but more worrying are reports of higher incidents of crime, as desperate people resort to stealing to survive.
The group recorded the average cost of its Household Food Basket for August 2022 at R4,775.59. Month-on-month, the average cost of the basket increased by R26.72 (0.6%), while year-on-year, the basket increased by as much as 12.6% or R534.47.
The latest food inflation numbers reported by Stats SA showed a 10.1% increase in prices year on year. Headline inflation was tracked at 7.8%.
The PMBEJD noted that the year-on-year data appears to show moderation in prices – but this is because the July 2021 unrest caused food prices to spike at unprecedented rates in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Joburg.
“While the monthly price increases do appear to be lowering, the household basket is still increasing, albeit at a slower pace,” the group said.
“We are not yet seeing any significant climb down in prices which would bring down the total cost of the household food basket in a substantial way and alleviate pressures on households. With no climb down yet in sight and with the higher taxi fares now effected and, for many prepaid users, high tariff increases – well beyond the regulated 7.47% – women are struggling.”
More worrying than rising prices, the PMBEJD noted reports from women in the areas it surveys reporting higher incidents of crime. “We are hearing women saying that they feel the streets are becoming markedly more unsafe. More people are getting robbed. There is a feeling that more people are in trouble and desperate and willing to steal to survive. There is tension, a bad feeling in the air. Women do not feel safe on the street and in their homes,” it said.
Food prices
The PMBEJD basket comprises 44 core food items most frequently purchased by lower-income households, who make up most households in the country.
Year on year, only 6/44 food items saw a price drop, with 2/44 items virtually unchanged. The remaining 36/44 items in the basket saw a price jump – 23 of which were above 10%. Cooking oil was up a staggering 70%.
These were the most significant changes, where prices increased or declined by 10% or more.
- Cooking oil: +70%
- Tomatoes: +36%
- Spinach: +31%
- Cake flour: +28%
- Maize meal: +23%
- Green pepper: +20%
- Chicken livers: +20%
- Samp: +18%
- Cremora: +18%
- Brown bread: +18%
- Polony: +17%
- Fish: +17%
- White bread: +15%
- Canned beans: +15%
- Butternut: +15%
- Inyama yangaphakathi: +13%
- Apples: +13%
- Tinned pilchards: +12%
- Margarine: +12%
- Frozen chicken portions: +11%
- Onions: +10%
- Cabbage: +10%
- Beef: +10%
- Potatoes: -11%
- Oranges: -24%
Food prices August 2021 to August 2022 – big changes
Month-to-month changes are generally more marginal, with one product – butternut – standing out at a 12% increase. Several items have seen significant drops in price, however.
This includes oranges, carrots and bananas, which all saw double-digit declines in price.
Overall, 19/44 food items saw price hikes between June and July, 6/44 remained the same, while 19/44 came down in price.
Food prices July 2022 to August 2022 – big changes
- Butternut: +12%
- Bananas: -10%
- Carrots: -13%
- Oranges: -28%
Regionally, the difference in cost of the total household food basket in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town are consistent at around ±R150.
Springbok and Pietermaritzburg tend to be outliers in the data (Springbok being the highest, and Pietermaritzburg being the lowest).
- The Joburg basket increased by R117.02 (2.5%) MoM and increased by R557.37 (12.9%) YoY to R4,888.50 in August 2022
- The Durban basket decreased by R44.11 (-0.9%) MoM and increased by R519.27 (12.1%) YoY to R4,807.78 in August 2022.
- The Cape Town basket decreased by R23.63 (-0.5%) MoM and increased by R543.90 (13.3%) YoY to R4,624.63 in August 2022.
- The Springbok basket increased by R13.18 (0.3%) MoM and increased by R367.49 (8.1%) YoY to R4,932.31 in August 2022.
- The Maritzburg basket increased by R105.40 (2.3%) MoM and increased by R577.34 (14.1%) YoY to R4,670.34 in August 2022.
Read: South Africans are short on money to buy food each month
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