And thereby hangs a sorry (matzah) tale

Chana Morris

This is my story:

In 2004 we visited PE just about the end of Pesach and happened to notice Pick n Pay selling matzah much cheaper than in Durban where we live. When we came back to Durban I visited our Pick n Pay and enquired why our matzah was more expensive than in PE. I was told it was the transport from Johannesburg!

In 2005 I called Norwood Hypermarket. Their price was R15,99; Cape Town R14,99; PE R17,99 and Durban R18,99. This was when I duly sent an e-mail to Raymond Ackerman enquiring why there were such differences in prices. I got a call from the buyer in Westville (KwaZulu-Natal).

After giving him the rundown he said he would get back to me within the hour and true to his word, he did. He said they had not done their homework and the price would be reduced to R15,99. Unfortunately that buyer is no longer in Westville.

2007 – Saw Durban’s price at R11,99.

2009 – We were now introduced to Rakusens which was selling at R17,99 and Mosmarks at R19,99. Both PE and Cape Town were selling it at R19,99 while Norwood was selling it at R16,99.

2010 – Norwood R16,99; Musgrave (Durban) R17,99; while Bedford (Gauteng) had Mosmarks at R21,99.

2011 – saw Oudtshoorn at R18,99 and Westville (KZN) at R29,99.

2012 – Musgrave (Durban) was R17,99.

2013 – Cape Town R27,99; PE R27,99; Musgrave R22,99, then reduced to R17,99.

2015- PE R46,99 (I think they might have given me the incorrect product.) Cape Town (Sea Point) R22,90; and Gardens in Cape Town, R25,99.

Musgrave in Durban, on March 19, charged R22,80, then on March 28 as a “week-end special”, it was R22,00.

This is just the matzah prices, not to mention matzah meal. Both these products are Pesach. If you are happy to pay the fancy prices for all the fancy cakes, chocolates, etc, then so be it. But matzah and matzah meal is another story altogether. 

If we are being ripped off with just this one item, what about all the others?

Durban