| SOARING VEGETABLE COSTS DRIVE UP PIETERMARITZBURG FOOD PRICES |
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Price increases of several vegetables dominated in a household basket of 44 items in Pietermaritzburg. Pic credit iStock. . A prolonged trend of decreasing food prices last year in Pietermaritzburg was abruptly reversed in January 2026 when a basket of 44 items increased by 3.8%, or R191.63, from December. The total cost of the January basket of R5 221.36 is still the lowest in the country and well below the national average - R5 401.44 - as measured by the PMBEJD Group across seven centres.
A closer examination of the survey results show curious month-to-month spikes in vegetable prices - 108% (green peppers), 48% (carrots), 34% (tomatoes), (15%) potatoes and 14% (onions and spinach). Other foodstuffs also appear not to have escaped price surges with beef (19%), tea (17%) and peanut butter (15%) leading the way.
The methodology of the survey means that individual items skew the overall cost of the basket. In defence of the research, the weighted survey tracks prices at shops most frequented by low-income consumers and may not necessarily reflect price movements at other outlets. For a closer look at prices in Pietermaritzburg and how they compare with other centres, click here and scroll to page 13.
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| ALARM OVER TIK TOK ALGORITHS SHAPING YOUTH BEHAVIOUR |
1974: The novel Kennis van die Aand became the first literary work in Afrikaans to be banned in South Africa.
Elsewhere, in 1886, German engineer Carl Benz patented the first modern automobile, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen Nummer 1. |
SLOWING INFLATION BODES WELL FOR SALARY EARNERS IN 2026
South African salary earners ended 2025 slightly better off and are likely to see further real income gains in 2026, according to PayInc data. The PayInc Net Salary Index, tracking 2.15 million workers earning R5,000 to R10 00 a month, closed December at R21 397, up 1.8% year on year. Nominal net salaries rose 3.7% in 2025, slower than 2024’s 4.6%.
While rising inflation eroded purchasing power late in the year, average inflation of 3.2% - the lowest in 21 years - meant real net salaries still grew 0.5% overall. Economist Elize Kruger expects another year of real gains in 2026, supported by contained inflation, scope for rate cuts and GDP growth forecast at 1.6%. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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AUTO INDUSTRY REJECTS 50% IMPORT DUTY TALK
South Africa’s auto industry has pushed back against proposals to raise vehicle import duties to the World Trade Organisation bound rate of 50%, warning it would harm consumers and fail to attract new investment. Naamsa president and BMW SA CEO Peter van Binsbergen said the industry is not calling for a “big hammer” but for fine-tuning incentives under the Automotive Production and Development Programme. He cautioned that doubling duties from current levels would undermine affordability, especially for entry-level buyers, and create unintended market distortions. Van Binsbergen said policy should instead encourage “real production” and job creation, while closing loopholes used by low-investment assemblers. (SOURCE: Moneyweb)
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NUMSA TESTIMONY LAYS BARE RAF GOVERNANCE FAILURES
Numsa’s testimony to Parliament’s Scopa has exposed deep governance failures at the Road Accident Fund, with billions lost and more than 320 000 claims backlogged. The union said over 50 claims officers have been suspended for more than three years on full pay, costing the RAF about R119 million in legal fees. It linked prolonged suspensions and the scrapping of the RAF’s attorney panel in 2020 to surging default judgments, which the SIU estimates added R4.8 billion in liabilities. Procurement failures, including a R600 million outsourced call centre and an incomplete R800 million IT system, further worsened delays, leaving claimants uncompensated and assets attached. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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BUSINESS-GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP TURNS SPOTLIGHT ON CRIME
A high-level partnership between business and government is broadening its mandate from fixing energy shortages to confronting South Africa’s worsening crime crisis, which executives say is now a bigger drag on growth than load shedding. The partnership, credited with helping cut load-shedding hours by more than 80% in 2024–2025, will now channel expertise and funding into policing support, forensic capacity and the justice system. Business leaders point to violent crime costing the economy an estimated R165bn a year, while cable theft, vandalism and logistics sabotage add billions more in losses. Government officials say improved security is critical to lifting investment, with crime cited by investors as a key risk alongside weak growth and infrastructure backlogs. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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SARS PICKS MOODY’S TO TIGHTEN TRANSFER PRICING
Moody’s Analytics UK has secured a contract with the South African Revenue Service to supply transfer pricing benchmarking tools, strengthening efforts to curb profit shifting by multinational companies. Benchmarking studies are central to testing whether related-party transactions meet the arm’s-length principle, a common pressure point for tax avoidance. Sars selected Moody’s through a competitive process, beating UK-based Royalty Range. The platform will provide reliable comparable data and court-defensible analyses for audits and litigation. The move supports intensified transfer pricing audits and precedes the planned introduction of an advanced pricing agreement regime in 2026. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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SPAR FACES R170 MILLION SUIT OVER SAP FAILURES
Major Spar franchisee the Giannacopoulos family has launched a R168.7 million lawsuit against the retailer, blaming a botched SAP rollout at Spar’s KZN distribution centre for severe supply chain disruptions. The family, which owns 46 Spar, SuperSpar and Tops stores primarily in KZN, alleges the SAP S/4HANA implementation in early 2023 led to empty shelves, lost customers and wasted stock. Court papers cite breakdowns in order picking, inventory visibility and pricing accuracy lasting until at least September 2025. The claim includes R142.9 million in lost gross profit and R25.8 million linked to missed rebate schemes. Spar says it has not yet been served with the summons. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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SA, MOZAMBIQUE IN TALKS TO DODGE LOOMING GAS CLIFF
South Africa and Mozambique are in talks to avert a looming “gas cliff” from 2028, when gas supply from Sasol’s Temane and Pande fields is expected to decline sharply. The two governments are negotiating three Mozambique-based energy projects - the Central Termica de Maputo, Central Termica de Beluluane and the $6bn Mphanda Nkuwa hydro scheme - which could supply up to 2,000MW to South Africa. A draft memorandum of understanding has been developed, alongside an agreement to extend the Rompco gas pipeline beyond 2030. Officials say interim solutions are vital to protect industrial energy security. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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AMAZON PREPARES FOR 16 000 JOB-CUT SPREE
Amazon plans to lay off about 16,000 corporate employees as it accelerates efforts to streamline management and sharpen its focus on artificial intelligence, according to a company blog post on Wednesday. US-based staff will be given 90 days to seek alternative roles internally, alongside severance and transition support, said Beth Galetti, senior vice president for people experience and technology. The move brings announced job cuts to roughly 30,000 over the past three months, following an earlier round in October. The cuts affect about 4.6% of Amazon’s corporate workforce of roughly 350,000, as CEO Andy Jassy pushes to reduce bureaucracy after pandemic-era expansion. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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OIL RISES ON TRUMP AMPING UP IRANIAN RHETORIC
Oil prices climbed for a third straight session after US President Donald Trump warned Iran to strike a nuclear deal or face possible military action, reviving fears of Middle East disruption. Brent crude traded near $69 a barrel, its highest since September, while WTI hovered around $64. Trump said US naval assets were ready to act “with speed and violence”, injecting a geopolitical risk premium into markets. Options traders have paid higher premiums to hedge against conflict. While analysts warn Brent could briefly breach $70, ample global supply is expected to push prices back into the $50s later this year. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
Thomas Paine |
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