We commemorate World Food Day 2020 in the midst of a pandemic, which requires proper nutrition to build strong and resilient immune systems to resist contracting Covid19 and recover if we do contract it.   However, we have seen food prices in supermarkets rise substantially over the past several months making it very difficult for ordinary…
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DATE: Thursday, 15 October 2020 // TIME: 11:00am – 12:00 noon //CLICK HERE TO REGISTER// After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. — The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group invites you to join us in a webinar to launch the new Household Affordability Index with food price…
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We release new food price data for Joburg, Durban, Cape Town, Springbok and Pietermaritzburg.  Prices are tracked in 44 supermarkets and 30 butcheries which target low-income households.  The average cost of a household food basket in September 2020 is R3 783,16. Read more about the Research Report National HAI, September 2020  

On Wednesay, 30 September 2020, the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group will release the first edition of our new Household Affordability Index. The deepening food crisis in South Africa, exacerbated by Covid19 compelled us to expand the scope of our Household Affordability Index beyond Pietermaritzburg.  We ran a pilot project from April-August and are…
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Households are not absorbing the shock of Covid and the lockdown. We are not just going to get out of Covid.   The consequences of Covid will be very severe, will be with us for much longer than we think, and the socio-economic & socio-political disruptions will be very great. Read more…

The Basic Income Grant discussion is again before us.  We argue in this Discussion Paper that we would need to change our policy mindset around the Basic Income Grant.

Imminent taxi fare and electricity tariff hikes present a further threat to being able to put food on the table.

Foods in the trollies of families living on low incomes continue to increase.  Families are spending more on food and many have to borrow money to buy this food.  Hunger and nutritional deprivation is deepening.  Questions are raised regarding the adequacy of Government’s interventions to help South Africans during the pandemic.   Covid-19 Research Report…
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Report based on latest data as at the 23rd April, which may be of some value in getting a sense of how South Africans, living on low incomes, are experiencing food prices and the lockdown during Covid-19 and what women are thinking about the weeks ahead.  Includes analysis of CSG top-up. Covid-19: Research Paper –…
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This short paper includes observations from the supermarket floor, the waiting lines, the street, the spaza shop, the taxi, the home, the kitchen, the plate and the stomach. Covid-19: Observations from the supermarket floor