August 2024 Household Affordability Index and Key Data

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Key data from the August 2024 Household Affordability Index

The August 2024 Household Affordability Index, which tracks the prices of 44 basic foods from 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries, in Johannesburg (Soweto, Alexandra, Tembisa and Hillbrow), Durban (KwaMashu, Umlazi, Isipingo, Durban CBD, Hammarsdale and Pinetown), Cape Town (Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Philippi, Langa, Delft and Dunoon), Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba (in Northern KwaZulu-Natal), and Springbok (in the Northern Cape), shows that:

• In August 2024: The average cost of the Household Food Basket is R5 227,14.
• Month-on-month: The average cost of the Household Food Basket decreased by R25,01 (-0,5%), from R5 252,15 in July 2024 to R5 227,14 in August 2024.
• Year-on-year:  The average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R102,80 (2,0%), from R5 124,34 in August 2023 to R5 227,14 in August 2024.

Food pricing trends in August 2024.

In August 20 foods increased in price, and 22 foods decreased in price, and 2 foods did not change in price.

Foods in the basket which increased in price in August 2024 by 5% or more, include:  potatoes (7%), green pepper (12%), and apples (7%).

Foods in the basket which increased in price in August 2024 by 2% or more, include:  salt (2%), Maas (2%), butternut (4%), canned beans (2%), peanut butter (2%), and apricot jam (4%).

Foods in the basket which decreased in price in August 2024, by 5% or more, include:  onions (-5%), carrots (-8%), and spinach (-6%).

Foods in the basket which decreased in price in August 2024, by 2% or more, include:  rice (-2%), white sugar (-3%), samp (-2%), cooking oil (-2%), stock cubes (-2%), chicken gizzards (-2%), beef liver (-2%), beef (-2%), tomatoes (-3%), and polony (-3%).

See page 2 of August 2024, Household Affordability Index.

Inflation on the food baskets per area tracked.

In August 2024, food baskets decreased by large amounts in Joburg and Pietermaritzburg.  Food baskets increased by small amounts in Durban, Cape Town, Springbok and Mtubatuba.  (See pages 10-15 for area specific data, in the August 2024, Household Affordability Index).

The Joburg basket decreased by R104,12 (-1,9%) month-on-month, and increased by R213,58 (4,1%) year-on-year, to R5 429,37 in August 2024.

The Durban basket increased by R4,16 (0,1%) month-on-month, and increased by R147,31 (2,9%) year-on-year, to R5 216,71 in August 2024.

The Cape Town basket increased by R35,89 (0,7%) month-on-month, and increased by R6,92 (0,1%) year-on-year, to R5 068,95 in August 2024.

The Springbok basket increased by R27,47 (0,5%) month-on-month, and increased by R49,07 (0,9%) year-on-year, to R5 429,11 in August 2024.

The Maritzburg basket decreased by R74,98 (-1,5%) month-on-month, and increased by R60,11 (1,2%) year-on-year, to R4 990,26 in August 2024.

The Mtubatuba basket increased by R19,66 (0,4%) month-on-month, and increased by R43,97 (0,8%) year-on-year, to R5 267,76 in August 2024. 

Statistics South Africa’s latest Consumer Price Index.

Statistics South Africa’s latest Consumer Price Index for July 2024-i shows that Headline inflation was 4,6%, and for the lowest expenditure quintiles 1-3 it is 5,6%, 5,2%, and 4,7% respectively.  CPI Food inflation was 3,9% (for CPI Food & NAB it was 4,5%, we use the figure excluding non-alcoholic beverages).  STATS SA’s Producer Price Index for June 2024-ii shows agriculture was 10,5%.  (PPI for July is expected to be released on 29 August 2024).

Women and children

In August 2024, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet was R939,63.  Over the past month, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R3,92 or 0,4%.  Year-on-year, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R39,59 or 4,4% (See page 6 of August 2024, Household Affordability Index).

In August 2024, the Child Support Grant of R530 is 30% below the Food Poverty Line of R760, and 44% below the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet (R939,63).

Workers

The National Minimum Wage is R27,58 an hour and R220,64 for an 8-hour day. In August 2024, with 21 working days, the maximum National Minimum Wage for a General Worker is R4 633,44.  Workers work to support their families.  The wage workers earn is not just to sustain themselves alone, it is used to support the entire family. For Black South African workers, one wage typically must support 4,1 people.  Dispersed in a worker’s family of 4 persons, the NMW, is R1 158,36 per person – this is below the upper-bound poverty line of R1 558 per person per month.

The August 2024 average cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four persons is R3 685,49 (See page 6 of August 2024, Household Affordability Index).

On our calculations, using Pietermaritzburg-based figures for electricity and transport, and the average figure for a minimum nutritional basket of food for a family of four, puts electricity, and transport, taking up 58,8% of a worker’s wage (R2 722,97/R4 633,44).  Food is bought after monies for transport and electricity have been paid for or set aside (leaving R1 910,47 – for food and everything else), and so in August 2024, PMBEJD calculates that workers’ families will underspend on food by a minimum of 48,2% (having R1 910,47 left over after transport and electricity, and with food costing R3 685,49). In this scenario there is no possibility of a worker being able to afford enough nutritious food for her family.  If the entire R1 910,47 all went to buy food, then for a family of 4 persons, we are looking at R477,62 per person per month.  This is below the food poverty line of R760 (See page 8 of August 2024, Household Affordability Index).

Household domestic and personal hygiene products

The August 2024 Household Domestic & Personal Hygiene Index shows an increase of R4,81 (0,5%) month-on-month.  Year-on-year the household domestic and personal hygiene products index increased by R67,15 (6,9%) bringing the total average cost of basic household domestic and personal hygiene products to R1 042,15 in August 2024 (See page 5 of August 2024, Household Affordability Index). 

The cost of basic hygiene products is high.  These products compete in the household purse with food.  These products are essential for good health and hygiene.