More than 9,000 people sign DA petition to cut 'exorbitant' fuel taxes

More than 9,000 people have signed the DA’s online petition to slash fuel prices following the return of the R1.50 general fuel levy.

The party started the petition calling for mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe and finance minister Enoch Godongwana to "cut exorbitant taxes on fuel".

The price of petrol is expected to rise by R3.50 per litre in June with the return of the levy. This will see motorists paying more than R25 per litre.

The levy was suspended for April and May as government sought to relieve the economic stress brought by surging fuel prices.

In an open letter to Mantashe and Godongwana, the DA said: “It is time for your government to urgently cut the exorbitant taxes on fuel to lower the price of fuel, food and the cost of living.

“The ANC government has uncaringly abused South Africans through the artificially high fuel price for decades.”

It claimed cutting taxes and levies could see the price fall by up to a third. It did not provide a breakdown of how this was calculated.

The DA suggested that to help South Africans, government must implement the following:

• introduce urgent legislation to immediately deregulate and reduce the fuel price, which will bring immediate relief for all commuters as retailers compete to offer lower prices;
• work to reform or replace the bankrupt and mismanaged Road Accident Fund levy with a workable system that does not add to the fuel price;
• call for an urgent debate of national importance in parliament to put pressure on government to implement the DA’s proposals, and;
• introduce a comprehensive rescue plan for SA to reduce the cost of living on all fronts.

“It is time to deregulate and slash taxes on fuel so South Africans can afford to get to work.

“It is time to support farmers to produce cheaper food so South African families don’t starve,” said the DA.

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