Food prices have surged in the country hitting the poorest of the poor hard in the pocket.
The price of basic food commodities reached close to 11% in October compared to the same period in 2021.
Latest affordability household index conducted by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) shows that the average cost of the household food basket has increased by R470.28 (10.9%) from R4 317.56 in October 2021 to R4 787.83 in October 2022.
Its data tracking conducted at 44 supermarkets and 30 butcheries in Soweto, Alexandra, Thembisa, Hillbrow, KwaMashu, Umlazi, Isipingo, Durban CBD, Mtubatuba, Cape Town’s Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Philippi, Langa, Delft, Dunoon, Pietermaritzburg and Springbok in the Northern Cape, food prices have soared.
PMBEJD’s Mervyn Abrahams said that foods which increased in price in October, by more than 5%, included onions, butternut, carrots, green pepper, oranges, chicken feet, chicken livers, polony, rice, sugar beans, potatoes, and peanut butter.
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