Those who earn minimum wage usually have a little more than R2 000 left after paying for transport and electricity.
The household food basket for March shows that prices decreased slightly; however, workers earning minimum wage still were not able to afford a basic nutritional food basket after paying for transport and electricity.
The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group compiles the household food basket with the help of women who live in low-income communities, doing a survey of the prices of 44 basic food items from 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba (northern KwaZulu-Natal) and Springbok (Northern Cape).
According to figures for March released on Tuesday, the average cost of the Household Food Basket decreased by R55.28 to R5 328.53.
Household basket decrease
The group revealed that of the 44 foods tracked in the basket, 14 increased in price, 29 decreased, and 1 remained unchanged.
Foods in the basket that increased in price by 5% or more in March 2026 include: soup (5%), tea (7%), tomatoes (5%), cabbage (6%), and peanut butter (5%). Foods in the basket which increased in price in March 2026 by 2% or more, include: samp (3%), and margarine (4%).
The group revealed that foods in the basket which decreased in price in March 2026, by 5% or more, include: rice (-6%), chicken feet (-7%), beef (-5%), butternut (-5%), and apples (-9%).
Foods in the basket which decreased in price in March 2026, by 2% or more, include: maize meal (-3%), cake flour (-2%), potatoes (-3%), chicken gizzards (-2%), chicken livers (-4%), beef liver (-2%), and bananas (-4%).
Household basket remains expensive
Data revealed that the household basket remains expensive for most workers earning the minimum wage of R30.23 per hour. These are people who earn R5 078.64 for an average 21-day working month, and still have to take care of their families.
“In March 2026, with 22 working days, the maximum National Minimum Wage for a General Worker is R5 320.48,” said the group. “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 people.”
Based on the group’s calculations, electricity and transport account for the majority of wage earnings. R1 760 goes to transport, and R1 181.85 goes to electricity, making up R2 941.85 from the R5 320.48.
R2k for grocery
PMBEJD found that after setting aside money for transport and electricity, workers have R2 378.63 left to spend on basic food.
“The March 2026 average cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four persons is R3 667.72,” noted the group. The minimum shortfall on food for workers’ families in March is R1 289.09 on a basket of nutritional food costing R3 667.72.
“If all the remaining money (R2 378.63) went to buy food, then for a family of four, it would provide R594.66 per person per month,” said the group.
“This is 30% below the National Food Poverty Line of R855 per person per month. Note that: the Food Poverty Line is a monetary-based threshold below which a person cannot consume enough food to meet their minimum daily energy requirements.”
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