Petrol and diesel prices were hiked at midnight on Tuesday, 31 January in another blow to suffering South Africans. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay
Petrol and diesel prices were hiked at midnight on Tuesday, 31 January in another blow to suffering South Africans. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay
As South Africa continues on its terrifying trajectory towards a sky-high June petrol price, the last two revisions of what motorists can expect to pay have increased further – to the point where a R4-per-litre rise is not out of the question.
June petrol price ‘an absolute shocker’
The shock figures are in line with the latest projections from the Central Energy Fund. They estimate that the cost of some fuels will now rise by a punishing R2.25. That on its own is troubling enough – but the suspension on the General Fuel Levy is set to run out next week.
That act of government intervention had kept an additional R1.50 off the petrol price. However, it’s expected to snap back into action at the start of June – meaning some motorists could end up paying R3.75 MORE for a litre of fuel.
The situation continues to spiral out of control, and if no state help is forthcoming, South Africans could be confronted with prices of R26p/l at the pumps in June. It’s quite simply unsustainable, and the DA Shadow Minister for Energy knows that all too well.
Help from the government? Don’t count on it
Kevin Mileham has reprimanded Ministers Gwede Mantashe and Enoch Godongwana ‘for failing to plan for a fuel shock’ they knew was coming. He accused the pair of ignoring the plight of the people, and called for an extension on the General Fuel Levy suspension.
“The admission by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, that the general fuel levy cut won’t be extended beyond the end of May, is an unacceptable dereliction of duty and a failure to enact a sustainable rationalisation of the composition of the fuel price.”
“If projections by players in the fuel industry hold, the petrol price increase will lead to an upward pressure on inflation, hitting consumers directly through rising transport and food costs. South Africans are already struggling to make ends meet and unemployment is soaring.”
Kevin Mileham
