Maize meal has become cheaper while protein sources have grown more expensive, widening the nutrition gap for South Africa’s poorest families.
A 30‑kilogram bag of maize meal now costs R298.08, a 16 % drop from a year ago, and rice and sugar beans have fallen by 18 % and 16 % respectively. In contrast, the price of beef liver has risen 24 % to R132.50 for 2 kg, frozen chicken portions are up 12 % at R446.88 for 10 kg, and beef and gizzards have also climbed sharply.
The divergent price movements have altered household food baskets without warning. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group’s April 2026 Household Affordability Index shows low‑income families now spend at least 18 % less than needed on basic nutritious foods, leaving a monthly shortfall of roughly R1,166.90.
The nutritional impact is already evident in children. The same index reports that 30 % of boys and 25 % of girls under five are stunted – a permanent condition caused by chronic under‑nutrition during early childhood. South Africa’s stunting rate had been declining slowly before the COVID‑19 pandemic, but the setback has been severe. The South African Early Childhood Review 2024 notes that the pandemic erased earlier gains, and cases of severe acute malnutrition rose 33 % between 2020 and 2023, with 15,000 children hospitalised in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
The data illustrate a stark paradox: the staple that has become more affordable – maize meal – does not provide the protein essential for child growth, while the protein‑rich foods that do are increasingly out of reach for families already struggling to meet basic food costs.
If the current price trajectory continues, the nutrition gap is likely to widen, threatening further deterioration in child health outcomes and undermining long‑term human capital development. Policymakers and food‑security stakeholders will need to address both the affordability of protein sources and the broader affordability of a balanced diet to reverse the trend.
Monitoring food‑price dynamics and their impact on vulnerable households will be crucial as South Africa seeks to protect the health and development of its youngest citizens.
