February’s food basket shows a mix of price drops and steady costs, with staples such as maize meal and rice holding firm, leaving many Buffalo City households still feeling the pinch — especially when balancing their food budget against other expenses such as transport.
According to the Household Affordability Index, compiled by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group, food price data from across SA showed the cost of the average household food basket for February was R5,313.22 — R120.48 less for the same basket of items in January.
The national year-on-year difference showed a R35.92 increase from R5,277.30 in February 2024.
The index tracks prices from supermarkets and butcheries in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba and Springbok.
The economic group noted that while many foods had dropped in price in February, many staples such as maize meal, rice, cake flour, white sugar, samp and cooking oil maintained their prices.
“It is these core staple foods which carry the highest rand cost in the food basket, and which women tell us are purchased first because these foods secure households against hunger.
“For affordability to be eased, the core staple foods within the household food basket would need to come down by much higher amounts.”
The Dispatch visited three leading retail chain stores in East London and compared the average price of eight core food items in February with January’s prices:
- 1kg of potatoes decreased by R3.01 to R19.32;
- 750ml of sunflower oil remained the same at R35.99;
- 12 large eggs increased by R1 to R44.98;
- A chicken tray decreased by R4.66 to R57.66;
- A loaf of brown bread remained at R11.32;
- 1l of cow’s milk remained at R17.99;
- 1kg of butternut decreased by R1 to R16.66; and
- 1kg of maize meal increased by R1 to R19.32.
The Dispatch also compared the prices year-on-year with the metro’s February 2025 food basket.
The most notable price differences compared with 2024 were:
- 1kg of potatoes decreased by R5 from R24.32;
- 750ml of sunflower oil increased by 33c from R35.66;
- 12 large eggs increased by R1.67 from R43.31;
- A chicken tray decreased by R9.66 from R67.32;
- A loaf of brown bread decreased by 34c from R11.66;
- 1l of cow’s milk remained the same at R17.99;
- 1kg of butternut decreased by R1.33 from R17.99; and
- 1kg of maize meal increased by R3 from R16.32.
The economic justice group also stated that for SA workers on the national minimum wage, electricity and transport took up 59.9% of their February salary, up from 57.7% in January.
“The wage workers earn is not just to sustain themselves alone, it is used to support the entire family.
“For black SA workers, one wage typically must support four people.
“Dispersed in a worker’s family of four, the national minimum wage is R1,103.20 a person — this is below the upper-bound poverty line of R1,634 a person a month.
"'Food is bought after money for transport and electricity has been paid or set aside.
“In February 2025, the Economic Justice and Dignity Group calculates workers’ families will underspend on food by a minimum of 52.6%.
“There is no possibility of a worker being able to afford enough nutritious food for [his or] her family.”
In February, the monthly child support grant of R530 was 33% below the food poverty line of R796, and 44% below the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet of R951.64 — a decrease of R24.76 compared to January.
However, the year-on-year average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R13.39.
With February data yet to be released, Stats SA reported consumer inflation was 3.2% in January 2025, up slightly from 3.0% in December.
They noted that fuel prices had risen for a third consecutive month.
On Wednesday, a newly formed civil society movement, the Union Against Hunger, was launched to confront SA’s hunger crisis.
The movement is endorsed and supported by a coalition of founding organisations, including the Healthy Living Alliance of SA, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Grow Great, and the Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of the Western Cape.
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund said: “SA has enough food to feed everyone, yet one in four people face severe food insecurity, and 10,000 children die in our country from malnutrition each year.
“Hunger is a national crisis that demands urgent action.”
National Research Foundation research chair in social protection for food security at the Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of the Western Cape, Prof Stephen Devereux, said: “Hunger is everywhere, in all provinces ... it’s all over the country but seems to be the highest in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the North West.
“If you are living on social grants, hunger extends from a month to a season ... I have heard from farm workers living on tea and bread to get through to the next payday. Hunger is always with you.”
Daily Dispatch