South African inflation rises modestly but bigger fuel-driven jump seen in October

Polity Audio Articles · Oct 21, 2026 · 1m

South African inflation rises modestly but bigger fuel-driven jump seen in October

South Africa's inflation rate rose modestly in September, data showed on Wednesday, but economists expect a sharper acceleration in October after fuel prices hit a record high.

Headline consumer inflation ticked up to 4.5% year-on-year in September from 4.4% in August, moving further away from the central bank's 3% target. The figure was below a 4.7% forecast from economists polled by Reuters.

Transport inflation accelerated to 10.8% from 8.8% in August, making it the largest contributor to the rise and…