As the South Sudanese Pound continues to depreciate against the US dollar, ordinary citizens are bearing the brunt of the economic downturn, with many residents returning from markets with fewer groceries while traders struggle to restock their businesses as the soaring exchange rate sends shockwaves through Juba’s economy.
In interviews with Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, residents expressed growing frustration over the relentless rise in the cost of living, saying the soaring prices of basic commodities have made it increasingly difficult to meet their daily needs.
Hellen Akita, a resident of Gudele’s Block 5, said prices of essential commodities have risen sharply, with a kilogramme of beef now selling at between SSP 40,000 and 45,000, up from SSP 35,000. She added that a small bundle of green vegetables, previously sold for SSP 500, now costs SSP 1,000.
“For sure, prices of all goods have gone so high, especially today (Thursday), starting with transport. We used to board taxis from Hai Referendum to Juba Town at SSP 4,000. But today there is an addition of 1,000, making it SSP 5,000,” she lamented. “For the food commodities, a kilo of meat is now sold at 40,000, and in other places it is 45,000. A small cabbage that was sold for 5000 is now sold at SSP 15,000. And this cabbage is very small for a medium household.”
Akita appealed to the government to urgently intervene, warning that many families could go hungry if the situation is not addressed.
Like Akita, Hawa Christine, a resident of Munuki Block A, said she is also struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. Besides being a housewife, she operates a small fruit business and visits the market daily, where she is constantly confronted with rising prices.
“This latest increase in prices was just yesterday and today. It has reached the point that we can no longer afford to buy food items. Mere ginger and magi have gone high,” she bemoaned. “For a mother like me who also struggles with a small business, sending children to school has become very hard.”
Hawa warned that the continued increase in commodity prices is likely to affect children’s education, as many parents may struggle to pay school fees.
Meanwhile, shop owners blamed the latest price hikes on the sharp increase in the US dollar exchange rate, arguing that the higher cost of importing goods has left them with little choice but to pass the additional costs on to consumers.
Hassan Abdu, a trader at Munuki’s Libya Market, confirmed that commodity prices have increased significantly but said the market remains highly unpredictable because of fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate.
According to Abdu, a 25-kilogramme bag of rice now sells for 240,000, up from SSP 200,000; a 50-kilogramme bag of maize flour has increased from SSP 300,000 to 350,000, while a 50-kilogramme bag of sugar now costs SSP 300,000, compared to 250,000 previously.
“The prices are not stable because the dollar is not stable,” he said. “You come today and find a different price, and tomorrow you find a different one.”
Abdu explained that most traders depend on US dollars to replenish their stock from wholesalers, forcing them to raise retail prices to recover the higher costs of purchasing foreign currency.
The latest depreciation of the South Sudanese pound has seen the exchange rate climb from around SSP 6,900 to approximately SSP 7,700–7,800 per US dollar on the black market, triggering fresh increases in the prices of fuel, food and other imported commodities and placing additional pressure on already struggling households.
Betty Juru, a foreign exchange dealer, said the parallel market remains highly volatile, with exchange rates varying depending on where and how much money is being traded.
“It is now SSP 7200. If you want to buy, it is USD 7.50 or 7.40, depending on how much you want,” she explained. “Selling is USD 7.20. If you have a dollar, you can find it at USD 7.20 or 7.30.”
For his part, civil society activist Edmund Yakani, who doubles as the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), called on the Government of South Sudan to urgently review the country’s economic policies as soaring commodity prices continue to pile pressure on households already struggling with the high cost of living.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Yakani said the skyrocketing prices of fuel and other basic commodities are leaving many families unable to meet their daily needs, particularly civil servants and soldiers who have gone for months without getting salaries.
“Prices are disturbing and are making some families mad,” he stated. “Some families are getting so depressed and stressed because they are unable to afford the high cost of living for their families, being civil servants or soldiers.”
He appealed directly to the country’s leadership to urgently intervene by reviewing the economic situation and implementing measures to stabilize the prices of essential goods and services.
“My voice is specifically directed to the leadership of the country. There is a need to have an urgent economic review and a need to have a real decision on the pricing of some goods and services in Juba,” Yakani said. “Particularly, the prices of fuel are getting worse across the country. If the price of fuel in Juba is USD 3, what about the other parts of the country, which are very far from Juba? What will happen to them?”
The activist also urged fuel suppliers not to exploit the situation by imposing excessive prices, warning that ordinary citizens are already struggling to cope with rising living costs.
“Something needs to be done, and the supply of fuel needs to be reviewed,” he stated. “I want to appeal to fuel suppliers not to take advantage of the situation to make abnormal profits.”
Yakani further urged the government to reduce taxes that contribute to high prices, arguing that many citizens have limited sources of income while businesses continue to face heavy taxation.
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