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Johannesburg - The consumer price index (CPI) for all urban areas rose to 5.9% in February, Statistics SA said on Wednesday.
"This rate was 0.1 of a percentage point higher than the corresponding annual rate of 5.8% in January 2014," it said in its key findings on the CPI.
It found that on average prices grew by 1.1% between January 2014 and February.
The food and non-alcoholic beverages index increased half a percent between January and February this year.
Components of this index that saw increases included bread and cereals, fish, oils and fats, milk, eggs and cheese, while fruit and cold drinks decreased.
The annual rate increased to 5.4% in February 2014 from 4.3% in January.
The transport index increased 1.5% between January and February, mainly due to the 39 cents a litre increase in the petrol price. The annual rate increased to 8% in February, from 7.8% in January.
The miscellaneous goods and services index increased by 4.7% over the same period, and this was largely attributable to the 8.3% increase in the price of health insurance.
"The annual rate decreased to 6.2% in February 2014 from 7% in January 2014," Stats SA said.
Six provinces recorded annual inflation rates lower than, or equal to, headline inflation. These were the Free State at 5.9%, the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal both at 5.8%, the Western Cape at 5.7%, the North West at 5.3% and Mpumalanga at 5.3%.
Provinces with an annual inflation rate higher than headline inflation were Limpopo, at 6.7% and the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, both at 6%.
