It now costs slightly less to feed a child a basic nutritious diet following a (month-on-month) decreased of just R2,51 to R940.62 in September.
However, there was an increase of 58c recorded when it comes to feeding boys aged between 14 and 18 at R1,084.67 in September, the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group’s (PMBEJD) latest household affordability index report shows.
“Year-on-year, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet decreased by R0,90 from R941.51 in September 2024 to R940.62 in September. As children grow older, their nutritional requirements increase,” reads the report.
“It means that the cost of feeding a child increases in price as a child grows older and is also different for teenage girls and boys. The child support grant is a fixed amount. It does not account for age. The child support grant is R560.
“The food poverty line calculated by Statistics SA is R796 per capita per month (latest May 2024 prices). In September 2025, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet per month cost R940,62. The grant is set below the food poverty line of R796, and further below the average cost of R940,62 to secure a basic nutritious diet for a child in September.”
There are 13-million children receiving child support grants in SA.
On Monday, Sowetan reported how 224 cases of children battling malnutrition have been recorded at a clinic in Olievenhoutbosch Extension 13 in Centurion, Tshwane.
These 224 cases are the highest recorded in Gauteng clinics between April 2024 and March 2025 and form part of the 5,673 malnutrition cases registered across the province during the same period, revealing a grim picture of hunger.
In the first three months of the year, 38 children died from severe to acute malnutrition.
PMBEJD’s report shows that the cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a family of seven decreased by merely R20.67 in September. The basket, which cost R6,460.93 in August, went down to R6,440.26 in September.
“Year-on-year, the cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a family of seven decreased by R5.33, from R6,445.59 in September 2024 to R6,440.26 in September 2025,” states the report.
“In September, the difference in cost between the foods which families living on low incomes try and buy each month and the foods which families would like to buy and should buy to meet basic nutrition was R1,060.84 (R5,379.42 vs R6,440.26).
“It means that in September, families living on low-incomes may underspend on basic nutritional food by a minimum of 16% (R1,060.84).”
Thursday is World Food Day.
The report states that the average cost of foods households buy first decreased by R4,18. The basket decreased from R2,869.26 in August to R2,865.08 in September.
“The cost of the foods prioritised and bought first in the household food basket is important. The core foods are bought first and these foods ensure that families do not go hungry while ensuring that meals can be cooked,” states the report.
“When the prices of core foods increase, there is less money to secure other important mostly nutritionally-rich foods, which are essential for health, well-being and strong immune systems (viz. meat, eggs and dairy which are critical for protein, iron and calcium; vegetables and fruit which are critical for vitamins, minerals and fibre; and Maas, peanut butter and pilchards, good fats, protein and calcium essential for children. The data shows that the core foods contribute 53% of the total cost of the household food basket...”
The report found that households living on low incomes change their buying patterns due to affordability.
“On low incomes, women buy the core staple foods first so that their families do not go hungry. Where the money remaining is short, women have no choice but to drop foods from their trolley [and that] reduces the volumes of nutritionally rich foods...”
Sowetan