The Consumer Price Index (CPI), known as inflation, has risen by some 1.1% in April to reach some 4% mainly driven by rising fuel prices.
According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), this is the highest inflation has been since August 2024 when it stood at 4.4%.
"Consumers were dealt a painful fuel price blow in April. The index for fuel rose by 18.2% from March, the steepest monthly increase since the current CPI series began in 2008.
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"Petrol prices were up by 15.2% and diesel by 35.4%. The price for inland 93-octane petrol rose from R20.19 per litre in March to R23,25 per litre in April. This is the fifth-largest increase for this grade in 50 years, and the biggest this century. Motorists using diesel felt the most pain. The average price for a litre of diesel jumped from R21.28 in March to R28.80 in April," Stats SA said.
Furthermore, passenger transport services index climbed by some 3.1% between March and April, the "largest monthly rise since July 2022".
"Following a 14.3% hike in March, the price of an air ticket jumped by a further 24.5%. This is the largest monthly increase in airfares since March 2008, when ticket prices rose by 32.4%," the statistical service said.
Contrastingly, annual food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) inflation slowed for the third month in a row, decreasing from 3.6% in March to 2.9% in April.
"Meat registered the largest decline, easing from 11.6% in March to 9.4% in April. Beef mince inflation slowed from 22.2% to 15.3% and stewing beef from 22.6% to 8.7%. The rate for pork moderated from 19.5% to 17.7%.
"The cereal products category recorded its third consecutive month of deflation. Five of the 19 items in the category are cheaper than a year ago. These include white rice, maize meal, porridge, basmati rice and bread flour.
"Milk, other dairy products and eggs recorded its first annual increase since May 2025. The rate was 0.1%, up from March's -0.5%. Powdered milk and eggs continue to occupy deflationary territory, at -3.4% and -5.8% respectively," Stats SA highlighted.
The insurance index rose by some 1.3% owing to increase in medical aid contributions.
"Health insurance recorded a monthly rise of 1.8%, taking the annual increase to 8.3%.
"Several medical schemes increased their contributions earlier in the year, with the remainder implementing new premiums in April," Stats SA noted.
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