• Workers on the national minimum wage of R4,836 per month spend R1,680 on taxis and R1,181 on electricity before buying food.

• The remaining R1,974 falls R1,745 short of the R3,720 needed to feed a family of four people each month in January 2026.

Workers earning the national minimum wage cannot afford to feed their families even after cutting every other expense.

New research from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group shows the brutal maths facing millions of South African workers.

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A worker earning R4,836 per month spends R1,680 just getting to work and back. Electricity for basic household needs costs another R1,181.

This leaves R1,974 for everything else. But feeding a family of four costs R3,720 per month for basic nutritious food.

The shortfall is R1,745. Workers must find this money somewhere or cut back on food.

Most families buy the cheapest food first to avoid hunger. This means maize meal, rice, flour, sugar, beans and cooking oil get bought before meat, vegetables or fruit.

When money runs out, nutritious food gets left behind at the till.

Some good news exists for smart shoppers. Rice prices dropped 21% compared to last year. Sugar beans fell 17%. Potatoes cost 21% less. Maize meal dropped 10%.

Families can save money by switching to cheaper brands when prices jump. Women shopping in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Springbok and Mtubatuba shared this strategy.

But even with clever shopping, the national minimum wage leaves workers deep in debt or hungry. The wage pays R28,79 per hour. One wage must support nearly four people.

After transport and electricity, workers have R493 per person per month for food. The food poverty line is R777 per person.