petrol price april

Enoch Godongwana is set to announce government interventions on skyrocketing fuel prices – Photo: Stock photo / Skitterphoto

Govt ‘may LOWER April fuel costs’ – as 20% cut to petrol price proposed

With the April petrol price looking exceptionally bleak, the government is planning an emergency intervention to help soften the blow.

petrol price april

Enoch Godongwana is set to announce government interventions on skyrocketing fuel prices – Photo: Stock photo / Skitterphoto

There could be some much-need, eleventh hour intervention from the ANC government on Thursday afternoon. It’s understood that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is set to address Parliament, to share proposals about how the soaring petrol price can be brought back down to earth.

Will government intervene on the petrol price?

Godongwana is set to speak during a Parliamentary Plenary on Thursday. His decision to step in could not be timelier, as South Africa is looking at rises of R2 and R3 per litre for its petrol and diesel costs respectively.

April will be a harsh month on the forecourts, but the government is now preparing a plan of action to cushion the blow. Earlier this week, it was suggested that a suspension on ALL fuel taxes should be considered. The ‘petrol holiday’ has the potential to knock R6 per litre off our grotesque gasoline prices.

However, documents show that this would only be in place for ‘a maximum of two months’. The DA have issued a counter-proposal on Thursday – asking the government to only suspend ONE fuel tax, but for a longer period.

Proposals to SLASH 20% off fuel costs tabled

Plans made public by Shadow Minister of Finance Dion George ask the government to cut the fuel levy, meaning that R3.93-per-litre would be subtracted from our monthly petrol price between now and September.

  • It’s understood these proposals are being given ‘serious consideration’ by Godongwana and his colleagues

“Government should immediately reduce the fuel levy for six months. This will bring down the petrol price by up to 20%. Suspending the fuel levy will make people’s money go a lot further. It is the most effective way for government to put out the flames of malnutrition and social unrest before they become a runaway fire.”

“The fuel levy is R3.93 per litre. Cutting it will bring the petrol price down from about R21 to as low as R17 per litre. Petrol is around R16-R17 a litre in Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Tanzania, Namibia and Kenya, so it’s not an unreasonable price to aim for. The fuel crisis is largely self-made and preventable.”

Dion George