As of this week, petrol is up by over R3 per litre, and diesel isn’t far behind. For ordinary South Africans this isn’t just an inconvenience – it’s rent or food versus transport.
Minibus taxis are already warning about fare hikes. Delivery drivers, nurses doing night shift, students catching two taxis to campus, we all feel it immediately. The “official reasons” (rand/dollar, global oil prices) don’t change the fact that wages haven’t moved, but every litre costs more.
We can’t control Brent crude, but government can review the fuel levy and Road Accident Fund slice built into every litre.
At some point you stop asking people to “tighten their belts” when there’s no belt left.
South Africans are resilient, but resilience shouldn’t mean accepting that filling a tank costs almost half a week’s wage.
- Mulisa Nemalamangwa,
Johannesburg
- Petrol prices have increased by over R3 per litre, with diesel prices rising similarly.
- This sharp rise affects ordinary South Africans severely, forcing difficult choices between essential needs like rent, food, and transport.
- Minibus taxis are warning about fare hikes, impacting delivery drivers, nurses, and students who rely on daily transport.
- Official reasons cite currency and global oil prices, but wages remain stagnant while fuel costs escalate.
- The government is urged to review fuel levies and Road Accident Fund charges to ease the burden, as resilience shouldn’t mean enduring nearly half a week’s wages just to fill a tank.
