HUNGER PAINS: Cape Flats Families on the Edge as Food Prices Surge

FAMILIES in Cape Flats are skipping meals, burdened by debt, and depending on feeding schemes to get by as escalating food prices wreak havoc on already struggling households.

This predicament arises as government data recently indicated that approximately 10.8 million South Africans remain below the food poverty line.

According to the PayInc Net Salary Index released last week, although the average South African salary rose to R21 508 – a 2.8% increase from last year – people’s purchasing power has diminished due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

For many residents of Cape Flats, navigating from paycheck to paycheck has turned into a painful task of balancing food, debt, and essential needs.

The latest consumer price index (CPI) shows a 3.1% increase in the cost of living over the past year, with an average price rise of 0.6% in March 2026 compared to February 2026.

By the end of April, Statistics South Africa indicated that while food prices generally remained stable, the escalating costs of fuel for distribution have kept prices high.

Basic staples like rice and potatoes have seen price drops, while meat remains expensive. This year, cabbages, onions, and beetroot have experienced price hikes of over four percent.

On the education front, tuition fees have increased by 5.6% this year.

Bronwyn van Aardt from Portland, Mitchells Plain, who supports ten family members with her R2 400 disability grant, has described her financial situation as a hand-to-mouth struggle.

She has adapted by shopping smartly, looking for specials and discount stores.

Van Aardt mentioned: “I usually buy from Shoprite and Boxer, and start my shopping from there.”

“I often visit Mother of Plain Food Emporium, which supports the underprivileged, as well as Town Centre for fruits and vegetables.”

She explained that careful budgeting is essential for her family’s survival.

Van Aardt noted: “The cost of living is so high that my money doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. But we find ways to make ends meet.”

For pensioners already in charge of supporting their households, financial pressures have escalated dramatically.

Sandra Kleinhans, a 63-year-old grandmother from Leiden, Delft, shared that there was no food to feed her family when the Daily Voice interviewed her.

She lives with her unemployed daughter, aged 31, and four grandchildren, ranging from two to 21 years old.

Following her husband’s passing two years ago, their household faced further financial strain due to the loss of his disability grant.

Kleinhans explained that she resorted to borrowing money from informal lenders, facing high interest rates just to survive.

She said: “Honestly, right now, we don’t have any food.”

“I haven’t been able to pay back the people I borrowed from for four months, and I can’t seek another loan because of my unpaid debts.”

This is the first time she has confront such hardship.

She added: “My daughter was a great help, but she’s been unemployed for almost three months, and finding a job has been tough.”

Like many families struggling to get by, Kleinhans sees debt as a trap with no easy escape.

“If I borrow R1 000, I must pay back R1 500, and half of that disappears. Then I have to keep borrowing just to survive.”

“There’s no one to reach out to for help; when you do, they don’t respond, leaving you in despair.”

Throughout Cape Flats, community feeding schemes are witnessing an increase in hungry residents queuing daily.

Mark Nicholson from the Lavender Hill Sports and Recreation Foundation, who manages a feeding kitchen called Chancengross, reported that they currently serve around 264 meals each day.

He explained that the meals they prepare (from Monday to Thursday) are much simpler than those offered before due to rising food prices and dwindling donations.

Nicholson stated: “We would typically serve a akni-style meal or dhal and rice, but now it’s mostly samp and beans. People, especially children, eat more on chilly days.”

The majority of those relying on the feeding kitchen are unemployed, and Nicholson noted that the demand for food has surged drastically as the cost of living climbs.

He added that there are times when supplies simply don’t stretch far enough to feed everyone.

Nicholson added: “The average cost for preparing a 100-litre pot is R890, and for akni, it’s R2 000 or more.”

“It has become challenging to purchase ingredients. We ask our funder to pay directly to the nearby 1Up store, which I then collect with my vehicle.”

Staple items, including rice, spaghetti, lentils, beans, fish oil, and tinned fish, have all become increasingly costly, putting further pressure on feeding organizations.

During winter, Nicholson mentioned that the demand for meals rises significantly as many residents arrive hungry after long days without food.

Nicholson remarked: “It has been tough to attract donor support. During COVID, farmers and random people would reach out to help. However, since COVID has subsided, it has become quite difficult.”

Aside from food supplies, Nicholson highlighted that operational costs such as fumigation and maintaining hygiene standards also exert significant pressure on feeding kitchens.

As food prices continue to rise and unemployment remains rampant, families across Cape Flats report that survival has become a daily struggle with scant hope for relief in the near future.