Mbalo Brief – September 2018
September is Albinism Awareness Month. During this month, the Department of Health provides information on albinism to make people more aware of what this condition entails and to highlight myths and superstitions regarding people with albinism. Albinism is an inherited condition where a person is unable to produce normal colouring of the skin (lack of read more »
Despite the VAT increase, food inflation continues to fall
Annual food inflation continues to slow despite April’s rise in value added tax (VAT). In fact, some food items are actually cheaper than they were a year ago. The items you are now paying less for are in the oil, bread, fruit and sugar categories, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) release.1 Bread read more »
Mbalo Brief – June 2018
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) will be launching its first commemorative Nelson Mandela banknote series in celebration of the first democratically elected president’s birth centenary. These notes will be issued into circulation by 18 July 2018 and will cover all denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200. As part of the celebrations, the read more »
Higher inflation dampens spirits as taxes take a toll
South Africa’s consumer inflation rate jumped to 4,5% in April after reaching a seven-year low of 3,8% in March. Much of the increase was a result of price rises in product groups that attract specific taxes, namely alcohol, fuel and sugary drinks. A one percentage point increase in value added tax (VAT) also came into read more »
Stats SA to ensure VAT change reflected in
MEDIA RELEASE 19 March 2018 Stats SA to ensure VAT change reflected in CPI The VAT increase to 15% on 1 April will affect the price of many of the items in the Consumer price index (CPI) basket. Retailers and service providers may adopt different approaches and timeframes to pass this increase onto their customers. read more »
Counting the costs of Valentine’s Day
You’ve got no one to blame except yourself. Admit it. You totally forgot about Valentine’s Day. Now that it’s just around the corner you’ve got to come up with something fast! It was months ago when you and your significant other agreed that it would be your turn this year to do something special. You read more »
Digging deeper into your pocket? These prices might be to blame
Does that braai pack feel a bit expensive? If you’ve recently noticed a rise in meat prices, then you’re not alone. Let’s take a closer look at that, as well as other items in the consumer price index with inflation higher than South Africa’s inflation target of 3–6% that is used for monetary policy. In read more »
Falling prices: the good, the better, and the best
It’s hard to believe. It goes against what we often hear. Whether chatting with friends around the braai or debating with family at the dinner table, almost everyone has a story to tell about their own experiences with rising prices. Surprisingly, data show that there are in fact items that are cheaper now than they read more »
Agriculture and finance help lift SA out of recession
After two consecutive quarters of decline, the South African economy spluttered back to life in the second quarter of 2017. Positive contributions to higher economic activity across most industries – in particular agriculture, finance and mining – lifted the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2,5% quarter-on-quarter (seasonally adjusted and annualised). Agriculture continued to show strong read more »
Stats Biz – August 2017
South African households spend more on beer than they do on vegetables, according to data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. Beer accounts for 2,1% of total household spending, higher than the 1,5% that is spent on vegetables. How does spending on beer compare to other products such as tobacco and sweets? Explore household read more »