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Faizel Patel – 02/02/2021
The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group says the food basket which is part of the household affordability index shows that between September last year and January this year, the cost of forty three food items has increased by almost R 200 or 5.1%.
The latest Household Affordability figures, painted a grim picture of South Africans who are struggling to afford even the most basic of foods because of the rise in prices and inflation.
The January 2021 House Affordability Index finding has just been released by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group
Speaking to Radio Islam, the group’s Mervyn Abrahams says the cost of food which includes items such as 30kg of maizemeal, 10kg of rice, flour and sugar among other items has increased dramatically.
“Our basket now stands at R 4,051.20 and this is a basket of f3 very basic foods that women in lower income houses tell us they try and buy each month.”
Abrahams says the cost of the basked has exceeded the national minimum wage.
“So when you consider that South African currently has a 47% expanded unemployment rate, so very few people are working. One wage that comes it will not be enough to buy enough food for the family even if even if that wage is entirely spent on food which of course we know it can’t be because there’s also water expenses and transport expenses and electricity expenses, etc.”
Abrahams says the food basket is constructed for a household of seven because in the lower income groups the household sizes are much larger.
Listen to the interview with Mervyn Abrahams
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