South African Unions and Political Parties Alarmed as Fuel Price Hike Will Stretch Citizens to Their Limit

Unions and political parties say the fuel price hike will stretch citizens to their limit. As per EWN, consumers will now be forced to choose between putting food on the table and spending a significant amount of their income on transport.

Unleaded 95 petrol increased by R1.14 per litre, while R1.08 hiked unleaded 93.

That takes the petrol price as high as R25.68 inland and R24.96 on the coast.

Diesel prices increased sharply for the fourth month, by around R1.60 per litre.

Also read: Fuel Prices Soar: South Africans Feel the Pinch

Trade union federation Saftu’s Trevor Shaku: “Saftu is concerned that this eighth consecutive increase in especially petrol and diesel will worsen the cost of living and affect the class negatively. This price increases will affect workers and the unemployed in at least three main ways, elevating costs of fuel for vehicle owners, causing road transport fares to rise and causing prices of other goods to also increase.”

Economist Bonke Dumisa has echoed these sentiments.

“Most South Africans cannot take much more. The international Brent crude oil price per barrel has been just under US$94 per barrel and the worst part is that the higher the fuel price increases, it affects our food inflation and our food inflation mainly affects most of the poor people.”

Also read:

DA Takes to the Streets: Nationwide March Against Rising Costs of Living

Picture:  Pixabay / Andrew Khoroshavin

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