(MENAFN) Official statistics showed that South Africa's average inflation rate increased to 6.1 percent in 2014, up from 5.7 percent logged a year earlier, The Peninsula Qatar reported.
The increase came after the December inflation rate dipped to 5.3 percent, which marked its lowest since November 2013. Consumer prices peaked at 6.6 percent in May and June before beginning a slow decline.
Statistics South Africa said the transport index decreased by 1.6 percent between November and December, largely thanks to lower petrol prices, while foodstuffs also saw a decrease.
Economists had forecasted that if inflation stayed within the target in the final month of 2014, it would reduce the probability of an interest rate hike at the beginning of the year.
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