JOHANNESBURG - The inflation rate eased slightly in January, moving closer to the Reserve Bank’s 3 percent target.
According to Statistics South Africa, consumer prices were 3.5 percent higher than in January last year.
That's down from 3.6 percent in December.
Fuel played a big role in the slowdown, with petrol and diesel prices at their lowest in four years.
At the same time, vegetables were on average 3.5 percent cheaper than a year ago, and prices of dairy products also declined slightly.
But meat prices remain a headache.
Meat prices have surged due to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.