Consumer inflation in South Africa has jumped to 4% in April, which is up from 3.1% in March.
The latest figures were released by Statistics South Africa, noting that this is the highest inflation rate recorded since August 2024.
The agency attributes the sharp increase mainly to rising fuel prices. It describes the latest fuel hike as the steepest monthly increase since 2008.
Consumers were hit hard by fuel costs, which surged by 18.2% from March. Petrol prices climbed by 15.2%, while diesel spiked by a staggering 35.4%. This is the biggest petrol price jump this century. Diesel users have been the hardest hit by the price increases.
Stats SA says the sharp fuel hikes are driving broader inflation pressures. Higher transport costs are expected to impact the prices of goods and services
