Ramaphosa says government will try to protect South Africans from rising fuel, food prices

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA|

OVER the past few months, South African consumers have been hit by steep price increases that have dramatically affected their quality of life. It has become increasingly more expensive to buy food and other essentials, to pay for basic services and to use public or private transportation.

While these rising costs affect everyone, low-income households are feeling them the most.

The latest Consumer Price Index for April 2022 published by Stats SA shows there has been little respite for hard-pressed South Africans. Food inflation was recorded at 6.2 percent.

The most basic foodstuffs cost more compared to what they cost a year ago, with staples such as cooking oil recording the highest increases. The price of fuel, which affects the price of almost everything else, has risen by a third in the twelve months to March 2022. South Africa is not alone in this regard.

A recently published