South Africa: Economists Warn of Pressure on Consumers as Inflation Surges

Economists say that South Africa's rising inflation rates, combined with an already limping economy, are clearly straining consumers, reports EWN. Economists had hoped that inflation would ease, but the consumer price index has increased to 7.1%. Food prices are a major driver of this trend, with food inflation peaking at 14.4% - the highest level since 2009. This is causing hardship for low-income households, and there are concerns that it could lead to further inflation in core services. Energy supply constraints have also made it difficult for inflation to normalise, contributing to the challenges faced by the economy.

This article originally appeared on AllAfrica

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