The cost of staple food such as maize meal and rice has nearly doubled since the last national and provincial elections were held in 2019.
Adding to consumer's woes ahead of the polls on Wednesday is the fuel price which has gone up by nearly R10 a litre in the past five years. The cost of living is expected to be one of the uppermost important issues on South Africans' minds when casting their vote this week.
The cost of food has been steadily rising over the years according to the National Agricultural Marketing Council's monthly food basket tracker, leaving consumers feeling the pinch. .
A basket of eight essential items selected by Sowetan which cost R260.36 in 2019 now costs R410.45.
This basket comprises items such cooking oil, bread, maize meal, chicken portions, eggs, sugar, rice and milk.
Five years ago in April, a 750ml of the cheapest Sunflower cooking oil cost R22.75. In 2024 the same product costs R35.13c according to the figures for April.
A loaf of brown bread which cost R12.57 then now costs R17.19 while 5kg of the country's most popular staple, maize meal, has shot up from R38.45 to R67.29.
A litre of milk has gone from R14.30 to 19.39 and 2.5kg of white sugar now costs R62.88 from R39.62 back in 2019.
A bag of 2kg chicken portions, arguably the most common protein in the country, set back would have cost you R64.29 in 2019 but consumers now have to fork out R93.83.
Eggs, whose prices shot up last year due to avian flu, are now 98.52 for one-and-a-half dozen. That is R26.49 more than what they cost in 2019.
A 2kg bag of rice now costs almost R20 more than it did five years ago.
Fuel has also sky-rocketed in the past five years.
Reports by the department of energy show that in 2019 a litre of unleaded 95 octane petrol cost R16.13 but shot up to R25.49 by May 2024, which means consumers are paying nearly R10 more than what they did five years ago.
A litre of diesel in the inland parts of the country increased from R14.15 in 2019 to R22.24 in 2024.
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
Cost of food creeps up to all-time high
Fuel price also sky-rockets over the past 5 years
Image: File photo.
The cost of staple food such as maize meal and rice has nearly doubled since the last national and provincial elections were held in 2019.
Adding to consumer's woes ahead of the polls on Wednesday is the fuel price which has gone up by nearly R10 a litre in the past five years. The cost of living is expected to be one of the uppermost important issues on South Africans' minds when casting their vote this week.
The cost of food has been steadily rising over the years according to the National Agricultural Marketing Council's monthly food basket tracker, leaving consumers feeling the pinch. .
A basket of eight essential items selected by Sowetan which cost R260.36 in 2019 now costs R410.45.
This basket comprises items such cooking oil, bread, maize meal, chicken portions, eggs, sugar, rice and milk.
Five years ago in April, a 750ml of the cheapest Sunflower cooking oil cost R22.75. In 2024 the same product costs R35.13c according to the figures for April.
A loaf of brown bread which cost R12.57 then now costs R17.19 while 5kg of the country's most popular staple, maize meal, has shot up from R38.45 to R67.29.
A litre of milk has gone from R14.30 to 19.39 and 2.5kg of white sugar now costs R62.88 from R39.62 back in 2019.
A bag of 2kg chicken portions, arguably the most common protein in the country, set back would have cost you R64.29 in 2019 but consumers now have to fork out R93.83.
Eggs, whose prices shot up last year due to avian flu, are now 98.52 for one-and-a-half dozen. That is R26.49 more than what they cost in 2019.
A 2kg bag of rice now costs almost R20 more than it did five years ago.
Fuel has also sky-rocketed in the past five years.
Reports by the department of energy show that in 2019 a litre of unleaded 95 octane petrol cost R16.13 but shot up to R25.49 by May 2024, which means consumers are paying nearly R10 more than what they did five years ago.
A litre of diesel in the inland parts of the country increased from R14.15 in 2019 to R22.24 in 2024.
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
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