Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2015-02-04
One in ten people in South Africa can’t afford the most basic of food baskets a month.
According to figures released by Statistics South Africa, the country’s food poverty line translated to $2.34 (about R26) per person per day.
While the cost of living continues rise, the number of South Africans living in poverty has increased.
In 2010, 20% of South Africa’s population fell below the poverty line, statistician general Pali Lehohla said in Johannesburg, at the release of a report on poverty.
This had increased to 21.5% in 2014, he said
Five years ago, it cost an average South African R321 per month to buy food with the recommended energy requirements. This had increased to R355 in 2014.
While the cost of living had gone up, South Africa still fared much better than other countries.
South Africa’s poverty lines were almost double the international line for extreme poverty, at $1.25 (about R14) per person per day.
“This means that, on average, South Africans are enjoying relatively higher living standards compared to many populations across the world that live below $1.25 per day,” Lehohla said.
Stats SA prepared the report to help government departments and other public agencies determine how much money was spent on social grants and the access people had to free government services.
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