FOOD BASKET: SRD grant R498 short of food poverty line as August basket remains unaffordable
While the cost of basic foodstuffs decreased from July to August, over the course of a year a basic food basket has become even more unaffordable for Social Relief of Distress grant recipients, owing to a new increase in the food poverty line.
The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant for August falls R498 short of the updated food poverty line, rendering the August food basket unaffordable for recipients. Despite a decrease in basic food prices from July to August, the overall cost of meeting a person's basic energy intake has risen due to the increased food poverty line.
The SRD grant now covers only 43% of the cost of foodstuffs needed to meet a person's daily energy intake. Experts argue that the grant has become less effective in combating hunger and food insecurity as it fails to address the affordability of basic food items.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
