Child support grant below cost of providing basic nutritious diet

The R560 in child support grant is 30% below the food poverty line, Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group's household affordability index has noted.

"[It] was also 42% below the average cost to secure a basic nutritious diet for a child,” said the organisation in its report released on April 30.

This while food prices continue to soar.

The average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet, the organisation noted, had increased from R951,00 in March to R973,25 in April.

“The average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R13.87 from R959,38 in April 2024 to R973.25 in April 2025. 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 of R560 is set below the food poverty line of R796, and further below the average cost of R973,25 to secure a basic nutritious diet for a child in April 2025.

You are now paying 21% more for maize meal than you were last year.

The price of 30kg of maize meal shot up by 21% from R293.65 in April 2024 to R355.18 in April 2025.

The price of samp, oranges, bananas, carrots and beef liver went up in the same period under review.

Oranges had the highest increase with a 7kg bag going up by 18% from R84.07 in March to 99.54 in April. The price of the same size bag shot up by 25% year-on-year.

“The cost of the average household food basket increased by R90,94 (1,7%) from R5,329.36 in March 2025 to R5,420.30 in April 2025. The cost of the average household food basket increased by R83,99 (1,6%) from R5,336.31 in April 2024 to R5,420.30 in April 2025,” reads the report in part.

The report found that the average cost of the foods prioritised and bought first had increased by R0,05 from R2,923.52 in March to R2,923.58 in April.

These items increased by R53,28 year-on-year.

“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 whilst ensuring that meals can be cooked,” reads 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 and 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 54% of the total cost of the household food basket. At an average cost of R2,923.58 in April 2025, these foods are relatively very expensive in relation to the total money available in the household purse to secure food. These foods must be bought regardless of price escalations.

“The high cost of core staple foods results in a lot of proper nutritious food being removed off the family plates. The consequences of high costs on the core foods has a negative impact on overall household health and well-being, and child development.”

The report shows that zero-rated foods, including maize meal, tinned fish, brown bread, cabbage and milk, increased by R80.14 from R2,849.18 in March to R2,929.32 in April.

“The zero-rated foods in the household food basket increased by R68,50 (2,4%) from R2,860.83 in April 2024 to R2,929.32 in April 2025.

“22/44 foods in the total household food basket are subject to VAT. Foods subject to VAT make up 46% of the total cost of the household food basket. VAT on the total household food basket came to R324,91 in April 2025.

“This means 6,0% of the household food basket is made up of VAT. A tax of R324,91 is nearly the same cost of an average low-income household's requirement of 30kg maize meal per month (in April 2025, 30kg maize meal cost R355,18). The total rand-value of VAT on basic food stuffs is very high and removes money from the purse that could be spent on more food.”

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