POLOKWANE – While South Africans across the country felt the sting of a 4% inflation surge in April, residents of Limpopo had at least one reason to breathe a little easier.

According to data released by Statistics South Africa this week, Limpopo recorded the lowest inflation rate in the country at just 3.1%, significantly below the national average and far from the Western Cape’s highest rate of 4.8%.

The national inflation rate jumped from 3.1% in March to 4% in April, mostly driven by fuel prices.

Food inflation drops

Food inflation nationally dropped to 2.9% in April, down from 4.1% in February.

Limpopo is a province with significant agricultural output in avocados, macadamias, and citrus. Local food production may have helped keep grocery prices more stable in the province than in urban centres.

What it means for Limpopo families

For families in Polokwane, Seshego, Mankweng, and Moletjie, a lower inflation rate means household budgets stretch slightly further than they would in Cape Town or Johannesburg.

Even with this in mind, the reality remains that the cost of living is higher for the average person. A commuter in Polokwane paying R23.25 for a litre of petrol does not feel ‘low inflation’; they feel the R3 increase at the pump.

Still, for a province that has struggled with unemployment and service delivery challenges, being top of any positive national ranking is rare.

With fuel prices expected to remain volatile and the rand under pressure, Limpopo’s low-inflation crown may be short-lived.

But for April 2026 at least, the province led the country in the one race where coming last is actually winning.