POLL | Should government do more to cushion citizens from the fuel hike?

Government may have extended its suspension of the general fuel levy at the 11th hour, but consumers are crying for more relief at the pumps.

Just hours before the suspension was set to be lifted, National Treasury announced on Tuesday the relief would be extended for another two months.

Without this extension, cash-strapped South Africans would have been hit by a petrol price hike of about R4/l, but will now still pay R2.33/l and R2.43/l more for petrol and R1.10/l more for diesel.

It has sparked a conversation about what other levies the government can suspend or what other relief it can offer. While many backed the calls for more levies to be suspended, others cautioned it may soon affect the services and programmes these levies finance.

According to a global petrol price aggregator, South Africans pay more than their neighbours for petrol due to the higher fuel taxes.

DA leader John Steenhuisen accused the government of “choosing” not to do anything to lower prices.

He proposed deregulating the fuel sector to allow competition between sellers.

In a market of 11-billion litres a year, competition among sellers would “naturally drive down prices as they compete for business”.

He also proposed motorists who pay comprehensive third party insurance be exempted from the Road Accident Fund levy to free the RAF from claims by those drivers. A saving of R2.18/l, he said.

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