05/22/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/22/2024 02:05
The consumer price index (CPI) recorded an annual increase of 5,2% in April, down from 5,3% in March and 5,6% in February. Housing & utilities, miscellaneous goods & services, food & non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) and transport were the main drivers behind the headline rate in April.
The monthly change in the CPI was 0,3% in April, softer than the 0,8% rise recorded in March.
General food inflation slows, except for vegetables, fruit and hot beverages
Annual inflation for food & NAB moderated further from 5,1% in March to 4,7% in April, representing a fifth consecutive month of decline. Most food & NAB sub-categories witnessed lower annual rates, except for vegetables, fruit and hot beverages.
On average, vegetable prices increased by 7,4% in the 12 months to April, higher than the 6,0% increase recorded in March. Vegetable products that recorded relatively high price increases include potatoes, frozen potato chips, broccoli and beans. The annual rate for fruit rose from 3,3% in March to 4,5%, mainly driven by higher prices for bananas and apples. Hot beverage inflation increased marginally from 11,2% to 11,4%. The rates for instant coffee and black tea remain in double-digit territory.
Bread & cereal inflation continued to slow, declining for a 12th consecutive month in April. The annual rate eased to 4,3% from 5,0% in March. Bread flour, cake flour, ready-mix flour, white bread, pasta, rusks, savoury biscuits and maize meal are cheaper than a year ago. The average price of a loaf of white bread was R18,43 in April 2024, down from R19,07 in April 2023. On the other hand, sharp price increases were recorded for rice, pizzas & pies, instant noodles and sweet biscuits. Annual rice inflation accelerated to 26,4%, the highest reading since May 2009 when the rate was 41,9%.
The annual rate for sugar, sweets & desserts cooled to 16,8% from 17,8% in March. Inflation for products such as white sugar, brown sugar, chocolates and jam remain elevated.
Egg inflation recorded its fifth consecutive month of decline after peaking at 39,9% in November 2023, then receding to 25,1% in April 2024. Except for whiteners, condensed milk, Gouda cheese and fresh cream, most products in the milk, eggs & cheese category recorded lower annual rates in April. This pulled overall inflation for the category down to 8,7% from 10,1% in March.
Other notable price changes in April
The annual rate for restaurants & hotels rose to 7,5% in April from 5,7% in March. Hotel prices jumped by 1,5% between March and April, taking the annual rate for hotels to 10,4%.
Fuel prices increased by a monthly 1,9%, pushing the annual rate to 9,0%. Inland 95-octane petrol was R25,12 per litre in April 2024, up from R22,97 in April 2023.1
The graphs below show the products that recorded the most significant annual and monthly price increases in April.
Download the April 2024 CPI statistical release and Excel files with indices and average prices here. The archive is available here.
1 Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. Comparing prices for petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin (IP) (click here).
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Economic StatsJoe de Beer (Deputy Director-General)012 310 8024 082 888 2600 [email protected] Peter Perkins (Economist) 012 310 8389 082 883 9532 [email protected] |
Social StatsGwen Lehloenya (Acting Deputy Director-General)012 310 8333 082 888 2323 [email protected] Neo Nghenavo (Director) 012 310 8047 082 888 2613 [email protected] |
Topic | Contact | Alternative Contact |
Consumer price index (CPI), Producer price index (PPI), Unit value indices: exports / imports, Construction materials price indices |
Patrick Kelly (Chief Director) 012 310 8290 082 888 2248 [email protected] |
Marietjie Bennett (Director) 012 310 8077 082 888 2194 [email protected] |
Government finance: national and provincial government |
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Government finance: local government |
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Supply and use tables, Satellite accounts, Regional GDP |
Michael Manamela (Chief Director) 012 310 8520 082 888 2205 [email protected] |
|
Gross domestic product (GDP), production |
Michael Manamela (Chief Director) 012 310 8520 082 888 2205 [email protected] |
Bontlenyana Makhoba(Chief Economist) 012 310 8567 [email protected] |
Gross domestic product (GDP), expenditure |
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Litshani Ligudu (Director) 012 310 4674 082 884 4279 [email protected] |
Environmental-economic accounts |
Gerhardt Bouwer (Chief Director) 012 310 8241 082 888 2409 [email protected] |
Riaan Grobler (Director) 012 406 3474 084 515 2908 [email protected] |
Mining, manufacturing, electricity, capacity utilisation |
Hlabi Morudu (Chief Director) 012 310 8377 082 317 8531 [email protected] |
Nicolai Claassen (Director) 012 310 8007 076 759 0200 [email protected] |
Retail, wholesale, motor, land transport |
Hlabi Morudu (Chief Director) 012 310 8377 082 317 8531 [email protected] |
Keshnee Naidoo (Director) 012 310 8423 083 689 5341 [email protected] |
Building, liquidations, civil cases for debt, food & beverages, tourist accommodation |
Hlabi Morudu (Chief Director) 012 310 8377 082 317 8531 [email protected] |
Joyce Essel-Mensah (Director) 012 310 8255 082 888 2374 [email protected] |
Annual financial statistics (AFS) |
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Amukelani Ngobeni (Director) 012 310 2938 082 677 4536 [email protected] |
Quarterly financial statistics (QFS) |
Sagaren Pillay (Chief Director) 012 310 4619 082 905 2665 [email protected] |
Krisseelan Govinden (Director) 012 310 4651 082 901 7960 [email protected] |
Structural industry statistics (large sample surveys of industries every 3 to 5 years; agriculture) |
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Population Statistics (Census and Community Survey) |
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Angela Ngyende (Chief Statistician) 012 310 4699 079 519 3212 [email protected] |
Demography-Mid-year Population Estimates |
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Chantal Munthree (Chief Statistician) 012 310 6648 082 888 2289 [email protected] |
Labour Statistics- Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) |
Malerato Mosiane (Acting Chief Director) 012 310 8688 082 888 2449 [email protected] |
Desiree Manamela (Director) 012 310 2145 071 681 2768 [email protected] Malerato Mosiane (Chief Statistician) 012 310 8688 082 888 2449 [email protected] |
Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) |
Malerato Mosiane (Acting Chief Director) 012 310 8688 082 8882449 [email protected] |
Matlapane Masupye (Acting Director) 012 310 8168 082 317 5340 [email protected] |
Tourism Statistics (Domestic Tourism Survey) |
Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 [email protected] |
Brenda Mosima (Director) 012 310 8168 082 906 7925 [email protected] |
Crime and Safety Statistics (Victims of Crime Survey) |
Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 [email protected] |
Joseph Lukhwareni (Director) 012 310 8485 082 888 2486 [email protected] |
Service Delivery Statistics (General Household Survey) |
Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 [email protected] |
Niel Roux (Director) 012 310 2939 082 904 7919 [email protected] |
Transport Statistics (National Travel Survey) |
Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 [email protected] |
Solly Molayi (Director) 012 310 6442 083 440 7035 [email protected] |
Gender Statistics |
Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 [email protected] |
Tshepo Mabela (Director) 012 310 8587 082 941 9383 [email protected] |
Mortality and Causes of Deaths |
Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. [email protected] |
Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 [email protected] |
Tourism and Migration |
Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. [email protected] |
Ramadimetja Matji(Director) 012 406 33011 071 670 3272 [email protected] |
Registered Births |
Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. [email protected] |
Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 [email protected] |
Marriages and Divorces |
Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. [email protected] |
Ramadimetja Matji(Director) 012 406 33011 071 670 3272 [email protected] |
Living Conditions Survey |
Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. [email protected] |
Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 [email protected] |
Income and Expenditure Survey |
Nozipho Shabalala (Chief Director ) 012 310 6994 082 904 8896 [email protected] |
Werner Ruch (Director) 012 310 6318 082 906 7967 [email protected] |
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