Food aid for S.African families marks end of Ramadan as prices spiral

A volunteer prepares a meal as part of a tradition started nearly 40 years ago at the height of apartheid by providing a plate of food to less fortunate families in celebration of the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Cape town, South Africa, May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Ashraf Hendricks

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Volunteers in Cape Town on Tuesday followed a tradition that took root in South Africa nearly 40 years ago at the height of apartheid, providing a plate of food to less fortunate families to celebrate the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

This time there is an added urgency to their gesture of humanity, as spiralling inflation driven by the Ukraine conflict has pushed up staple food prices, making it tougher for cash-strapped consumers in Africa's most advanced economy.