The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the affordability crisis faced by poor South African households, with many struggling to even put food on the table
This month an average food basket for a family of seven in a low-income household, as compiled by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PEJD) group, breached the national minimum wage of R3 500.
PEJD’s Mervyn Abrahams said between December 2020 and this month, the price of the food basket has gone up by R196,03 — to R3 663,99. The basket consists of staples such as maize meal, rice, flour, oil and sugar.
