South Africa’s poverty line is R868 a month, but what can it really buy?

According to Stats SA, R868 per person per month (roughly R28.55 daily) is the food poverty line—the minimum required just to reach 2,100 calories a day.

Could you feed yourself on R28.55 a day?

That is roughly what Statistics South Africa's new food poverty line of R868 per person per month translates into in 2026 – and it is not intended to represent a healthy or recommended diet. It is the amount Statistics South Africa calculates a person needs to secure the minimum daily energy requirement of 2,100 calories.

The other two national poverty lines are R1,457 per person per month at the lower bound and R2,962 at the upper bound. The lower-bound line describes a particularly stark reality: households at this level have to sacrifice some of their food requirements to pay for essential non-food items such as shelter, clothing, healthcare and transport.

The upper-bound line is intended to reflect the point at which people can meet minimum food and non-food needs without sacrificing the food requirement.