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Annual consumer inflation rose to 5% in June 2026 from 4,5% in May, reaching its highest level in two years, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has announced.

Stats SA said the June figure was the highest inflation reading since June 2024, when the rate stood at 5,1%. 

Prices rose by 0,7% on average between May and June, the same increase recorded between April and May.

“Transport was the largest contributor to both the annual and monthly changes in the consumer price index (CPI), mainly underpinned by higher fuel prices. The annual rate for transport accelerated to 12,7% in June from 9,4% in May. Fuel prices climbed by 34,3% in the 12 months to June, driven by increases of 50,8% in diesel prices and 31,7% in petrol prices,” Stats SA said on Wednesday. 

Higher fuel prices also pushed up passenger transport inflation, which rose by 8,1% month on month in June.

As a result, the annual rate for the category increased to 12,5% from 4,0% in May.

Sharp monthly increases were recorded for minibus taxi fares (+11,5%), e-hailing services (+8,7%), long-distance bus fares (+8,4%) and school transport (+3,7%).

“Annual food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) inflation slowed further in June, dipping to 1,6% from 1,9% in May and 2,9% in April. Cereal products recorded a fifth consecutive month of deflation at -1,5%. Several notable products are cheaper than a year ago, including white rice (-13,4%), maize meal (-5,9%), samp (-1,5%) and porridge (-1,3%).

“Meat inflation also extended a downward trend, moderating further to 5,1% from a peak of 13,5% in January 2026. Inflation for beef products is settling, with the annual rate for beef mince cooling to 3,9% from May’s 10,6%. Stewing beef entered deflationary territory, with its annual rate declining to -2,7%,” Stats SA said.

Pork inflation eased for the third consecutive month but remained in double digits at 13,9%.

The annual rate for mutton and lamb rose to 8,4%. Processed meat products that experienced high rates in June include sausages at 11,8%, corned meat at 10,2% and bacon at 8,6%.

Hot beverages inflation, which has remained above 6,0% since June 2022, reached 7,4% in June 2026.

The annual rate for black tea was 8,3% in June 2026, while instant coffee was 7,0%.

The graph below shows the food and beverage products that recorded the sharpest price changes. Pork, tomatoes, sausages, corned meat and hake registered the largest annual increases in June, while seasonal fruit, beetroot, white rice, potatoes and dried beans saw the largest decreases over the same period.

Actual housing rents and owners’ equivalent rent are included in the CPI calculation at the end of each quarter.

In June, actual rents rose by 1,1% from the March quarter, bringing the annual increase to 4,1%.

Over the past 12 months, rent increased by 5,4% for townhouses, 4,6% for flats and 3,7% for houses. –SAnews.gov.za

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The Office of the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) Oversight Judge has confirmed receipt of complaints relating to IDAC Head, Advocate Andrea Johnson.

The public acknowledgment comes amid growing media interest and public scrutiny regarding leadership integrity within IDAC, following allegations against Johnson at the Madlanga Commission. 

“The Office does not ordinarily comment on complaints received or matters under consideration. However, given the exceptional public interest in this matter, the numerous media enquiries received, and the fact that the existence of the complaints is already in the public domain, the Office considers it appropriate to confirm their receipt.

“The complaints are receiving attention through the Office’s established processes and are being assessed in accordance with its statutory mandate and the applicable legal framework,” the office said in a statement.

The ombud insisted that it remains committed to protecting whistleblowers and complainants who make “disclosures in good faith”.

“The reporting of alleged corruption and misconduct is an essential feature of constitutional accountability and the rule of law.

“The Office will take all reasonable measures within its mandate and the bounds of the law to ensure that individuals who raise concerns are not discouraged from doing so by fear of prejudice, intimidation, or retaliation,” the statement continued.

Furthermore, the Office explained that there is no “hard-and-fast rule” on the protection or publication of the identity of “persons against whom complaints have been lodged”.

“Whether such information is disclosed or remains confidential depends on the particular circumstances of each case, including considerations of public interest, procedural fairness, legality, the rights and interests of affected parties, and the integrity of the IDAC Oversight Judge Office’s processes.

“These considerations are carefully weighed and balanced on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the Office’s constitutional and statutory mandate,” the statement read.

The public is cautioned against drawing premature conclusions regarding Johnson’s conduct.

“The Office emphasises that the receipt of a complaint does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing, nor should it be interpreted as evidence of misconduct. Every complaint is considered independently, objectively, and in accordance with the principles of procedural fairness.

“To protect the integrity of the Office’s processes and the rights of all concerned, the Office will not comment further on the substance of the complaints or any assessment or investigative steps that may or may not be undertaken while the matter remains under consideration,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

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Banyana Banyana are fine-tuning their preparations in Morocco ahead of their CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) opening match against Tanzania.

“We’ve had two sessions now trying to acclimatise to the heat as we are coming from a cold South Africa, but fortunately, for now, it’s not as hot as it was last year. We had really good sessions, and now we are looking forward to the rest of the week,” Head Coach, Dr Desiree Ellis said, on Tuesday. 

The tournament will be staged in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August 2026, with South Africa drawn in Group B alongside Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania.

Banyana Banyana head coach, Dr Desiree Ellis, recently announced a final 26-player squad to represent South Africa at the continental showpiece.

The 2022 African champions will make their 14th appearance at the tournament.

According to the South African Football Association (SAFA), Ellis and her technical team have retained the core group of players who have featured for the senior women’s national team in recent matches.

Of the players selected, 17 were part of the WAFCON 2024 squad, while nine additions have been included for the upcoming competition: Katlego Moletsane, Isabella Ludwig, Asanda Hadebe, Antonia Maponya, Zoe October, Robyn Moodaly-Salgado, Nthabiseng Majiya, Thembi Kgatlana and Ronnel Donnelly.

Six players will make their tournament debuts: Moletsane, Hadebe, Maponya, Phila, Ludwig and October, with October the youngest member of the squad at 18.

“We have a nice mixture of youth and experience, and that was key in making our selection because while we have immediate goals, we still need to look beyond the tournament and not be found wanting. 

“We are under no illusion that this competition will be tough, but we believe we have a balanced squad and are well prepared for what lies ahead of us,” Ellis said.

Ellis said the team’s immediate mission is to qualify for the World Cup.

“That means the focus for now is the opening game against Tanzania as it will set the tone for the tournament. We also depart with the full knowledge of the weight of expectations from all South Africans, and we promise not to disappoint,” Ellis said.

WAFCON 2026 kicks off on Sunday, with South Africa in action the following day, Monday, 27 July, when they face Tanzania in their opening game. They will then meet Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in the group stage.

The top four nations will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. –SAnews.gov.za

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South Africans now have more than double the number of locations where they can apply for a Smart ID Card, following the expansion of the Department of Home Affairs’ Digital Partnership with Absa, which also includes the launch of the country’s first bank-based Home Affairs mobile unit.

Absa becomes the fourth banking partner to join the Department’s Digital Partnership, with the new mobile unit set to bring secure Smart ID services directly to remote, peri-urban, and previously underserved communities. The initiative is aimed at extending access to Home Affairs’ digital services beyond traditional departmental offices.

Launching the partnership in Tembisa on Wednesday, Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, said the reforms are designed to make identity services more accessible.

“For far too long, accessing Home Affairs meant taking a taxi or a bus, missing a day of work, standing in long queues, and spending hours simply to apply for an identity document. Our Home Affairs @ Home reform programme is changing that forever by bringing Home Affairs to where people live, work and bank,” Schreiber said.

The launch builds on the rapid expansion of the Digital Partnership, which went live on 9 March 2026.

The Minister highlighted that in just four and a half months, the department has expanded to 327 participating bank branches.

“Together with the department’s 214 modernised Home Affairs offices, South Africans can now access Smart ID services at 541 locations, compared to just 214 before the partnership began.

“This is the fastest expansion of access to Home Affairs services since the dawn of democracy, with the Digital Partnership already adding more Smart ID service points than the entire modernised Home Affairs network that existed when the reform programme began,” Schreiber said.

The Minister said the Digital Partnership is expected to expand to approximately 750 participating bank branches by the end of the year.

Together with Home Affairs offices, he said this will give South Africans access to around 1 000 locations where they can apply for a Smart ID Card – nearly five times the number of access points that existed just two years ago.

Schreiber added that the Digital Partnership will also be expanded before the end of the year to include applications for adult and minor passports, first-time Smart ID Cards applications and, in the next major milestone, home delivery of identity documents directly to citizens’ homes.

“Through Home Affairs @ home, we are making it easier than ever before for South Africans to replace the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book with the secure Smart ID Card. Together, we are closing the chapter on the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book and opening a new chapter of secure, digitalised identity services that delivers dignity for all,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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