THE average cost of the Household Food Basket in May was R4 137.11. Month-on-month, between April and May, the average cost of the Household Food Basket decreased by R61.82 (-1.5%).

The price of cooking oil has shot up over the past 17 months, causing sunflower oil, a staple in South Africa, to become one of the most expensive oils – thanks to a shortage globally caused by poor harvests of oil producing crops such as sunflower, palm, soya, and canola last year.

Eskom will resume stage 2 load shedding between 17h00 and 22h00 on Tuesday evening (18 May) as the embattled power utility’s systems remain vulnerable.

South African consumers who sought help to manage their debt increased by 31 percent compared to the same time last year, the DebtBusters debt index for the first quarter has found.

Mid month data published by the Central Energy Fund points to yet another petrol price hike in May – though at lower levels recorded over the last few months.

The Automobile Association (AA) says it expects a further hefty hike in fuel prices in April, with 95 ULP heading into record territory when the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy makes the official adjustment next Wednesday (7 April).

Statistics South Africa has published its latest consumer price index, showing that headline inflation slowed to 2.9% in February from 3.2% in January.

THE COUNTRY'S inflation decelerated in February, confirming an all-but accepted consensus on the market that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) will keep interest rates on hold for the foreseeable future as the print fell below bank's mid-tier range of between 3 and 6 percent.

From Wednesday (24/02/2021) you'll be able to get a 25% discount on the Easter egg its makers have described as "an iconic South African tradition" – as two retail chains go to war.

Good-quality tomatoes have been tough to find in recent weeks, as heavy rains at the start of the year in the Limpopo valley wreaked havoc on harvests.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says that government will clamp down on the illegal importation of goods in South Africa and introduce additional incentives to support local buying in South Africa.

The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity research group (PMBEJD) has criticised government and National Treasury for underspending on South Africa’s poorest and most vulnerable communities, at a time when money has never been tighter, and food, electricity and travel costs are rising.