Cape Town - South Africans say they are battling to make ends meet, more so each time prices for essential goods rise.
The Cape Argus spoke to people from across the Cape to get their views on the rising cost of living:
Natasha Selbourne Gertse said: “Inflation rates should not even increase because people are already suffering. They cannot afford to buy electricity, food and other necessities. A bag of potatoes went from R100 to R200, not to mention eggs, fuel and municipal bills. It’s like all the things that we need are now too expensive.
“Is this orchestrated for us to suffer so that we may lose our homes? I mean, how can we not have people fighting this? We cannot afford to live.”
Claremont resident Happiness Wilson said: “As a young person it has been so hard to reconcile the cost of life now, compared to other times. To pay my fees, rent, buy food. The money we are earning is simply not enough.”
Small business owner Anthea Abrahams said: “As small business owners we are forced to increase our prices as well to keep up with the market and we end up making a small profit. Having to navigate the high cost of living is difficult.”
Muizenberg resident Aleck Douglas Moyo said: “People living with chronic medical conditions now have to struggle that much more. The impact of this goes deeper than what we see and hear on the surface. Yes, people are struggling but I can’t imagine an old granny not being able to take her medication because she hasn’t eaten or cannot afford to buy food.”
Bellville resident Sisanda Mkhandla said: “Not being able to afford to live as comfortably as we thought we would, having pursued studying further, we are unable to accomplish our goals or dreams, buy homes, cars or even start a business. You have to think hard.
“We often hear that we are a depressed generation, and partly it’s because living in today’s time is just too expensive, which is depressing. Imagine having to pay black tax, when you’re already struggling to make ends meet as a young adult. It’s hard.”
Tina Thiart, the director and a trustee of 1000Women, an anti-GBV movement, said: “The queue at the various food kitchens is growing every day and valuable time of NPOs is used to find food donations, cook and clean. The number of companies donating directly to their communities has dwindled, preferring to donate to food banks.
“Meanwhile, the number of GBV victims coming to support groups has escalated. As money cannot be stretched far enough, financial challenges create more stress and more women report physical and financial abuse. Our government offered to support GBV and Economic Empowerment, but all budgets have been cut, and no funding is flowing to combat GBV or to empower women’s businesses. People on the ground are struggling.”