All eyes will be on the food price basket to see if the outbreak of avian flu -- already negatively impacting the poultry industry -- will push the prices of chicken and eggs even higher.

The cost of living in South Africa worsened during September as seen in the consumer inflation rate rising for the second consecutive month.

According to data from Statistics South Africa, the consumer inflation rate increased to 5.4% in September from 4.8% in August -- maintaining pressure on the South African Reserve Bank to step up its efforts in increasing interest rates to curb price growth. The bank's officials are expected to meet from 21-23 November to decide on interest rates for the final time in 2023.

In recent weeks, SA Reserve Bank officials, including Governor Lesetja Kganyago, have warned that the battle to reduce inflation through interest rate hikes is not over as they still see several risks that would push the inflation rate higher. The central bank expects the weakness of the rand against major currencies and higher international oil prices, which lead to higher petrol and diesel price increases, to be the main drivers of inflation.

At 5.4% in September, the inflation rate is still within the SA Reserve Bank's target range of 3% to 6%. But it is edging closer to the upper end of the range.

The unrelenting fuel and diesel price increases in recent months...