Maimane dives into fuel price debate

DA leader Mmusi Maimane has accused the government under President Cyril Ramaphosa of declaring “financial war” on cash-strapped consumers who are now paying nearly R16 a litre for petrol.

“It is the poor South Africans who are going to be affected by this fuel hike. This fuel hike is not about those who have a car‚” he said.

“Food will go up and the cost of living will go up and as a natural consequence‚ if you live far from places of work‚ it is going to become harder for you.

“It is ANC policies that have ensured that we end up at R16 a litre‚ the highest it has been since 1994. We all expect things to go up‚ but at the level that the ANC is going‚ who knows what other pressures they are going to put on the people of this country. They are scared of their own constituency in government and they are punishing ordinary South Africans‚” he said.

On Wednesday‚ the retail price of petrol increased by 82 cents a litre. This is the third consecutive fuel hike this year. Diesel now costs 87 cents more and paraffin went up by R1.09 a litre. The price of LP Gas has increased by R1.38 per kilogram. The increases have been attributed to the rise in oil prices and a weaker rand.

Maimane said that through increases in value-added tax (VAT)‚ income tax‚ the RAF levy‚ general fuel levy‚ and so-called “sin taxes”‚ the public had been “strong-armed into paying for the sins of the ANC government”.

He added that the DA would take up the cost of fuel in Parliament‚ requesting a debate about the tax and levy structure of fuel in the country – which contributed to its rising price.