How does the government suggest you save fuel? Just drive less

Don’t drive as much. Don’t drive at rush hour. And don’t open your car windows or sunroof. Oh‚ and don’t rev your engine.

These are among the bizarre fuel-saving tips posted on the government’s official Facebook page - and have received widespread mocking and condemnation from social media users. 

An image of the five tips was posted on the official page on Wednesday morning‚ the same day that fuel prices went up to more than R15 a litre for the first time.

“The petrol price has gone up and here are simple fuel saving tips you can use.

“Make fewer trips. Don’t drive during rush hour. Close the windows (and sunroof‚ if you’ve got one). Don’t carry around unnecessary weight. Accelerate smoothly. Don’t push the accelerator down too hard‚” the picture reads.

Facebook users were having none of it - and immediately lashed out.

Sizwe Thwala wrote: “How can we not Drive during rush hour!!!! When we got to work for the Taxes‚ to pay for the corruption.”

Chante Ulah Pearce made a similar observation.

“If no one drives in rush hour‚ any other hour will still be rush hour. What the heck!!!??? Who came up with this? Perhaps we should do a formal strike and not use our cars... then we see what ideas they come up with‚” she wrote.

And‚ as Amie-Sue Amz Colby wrote‚ these tips are likely to be widely rejected by bosses.

“How can we not drive in rush hour when every company in Johannesburg makes their working hours the same times!!!!!!!”