South African workers earning the national minimum wage are being forced to drastically underspend on food, leaving families unable to afford a basic nutritious diet.
This is according to the December 2025 Household Affordability Index released by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice Dignity Group PMBEJD.
The index found the average cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four stood at R3,678.87 in December, while transport and electricity costs consumed more than 60 of a workers monthly wage.
