South Africa’s annual consumer inflation rate rose slightly to 3.1% in March, up from 3.0% in February, according to the latest data released by Statistics South Africa on Wednesday.
Chief Director for Price Statistics, Patrick Kelly, said prices increased by an average of 0.6% in March 2026 compared to the previous month.
Six of the 13 categories in the consumer price index (CPI) basket recorded higher annual inflation rates. These included restaurants and accommodation services, education, transport, housing and utilities, information and communication, as well as recreation, sports and culture.
Education costs saw a notable increase, with tuition fees—surveyed annually in March—rising by 5.4% in 2026, compared to a 4.5% increase in 2025. Primary and secondary education fees climbed by 6.2%, up from 5% last year, while tertiary education costs rose by 4.2%, compared to 3.7% previously.
In the transport category, the annual rate improved slightly from -2.1% in February to -1.6% in March, indicating ongoing deflation.
“The negative values represent deflation, meaning transport goods and services were generally 1.6% cheaper in March 2026 compared with the same period last year,” Kelly explained.
He attributed this trend largely to an 8.7% decline in fuel prices over the 12-month period, despite a slight increase in vehicle prices.
Meanwhile, inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages eased further to 3.6% in March, down from 3.7% in February. Several food categories, including fruits and nuts, vegetables, cereals, milk, dairy products and eggs, recorded deflation.
The annual inflation rate for meat also slowed, dropping to 11.6% from 12.2% in February.
The March data also included findings from the latest quarterly housing survey. Rental prices increased across all housing types, with house rents rising by 3.7%, townhouses by 5.1%, and flats by 4.2%.