EFF STATEMENT ON ANNOUNCED PETROL AND DIESEL INCREASES
Wednesday, 01 February 2023
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejects the announced petrol and diesel price increases by the Department of Minerals and Energy. The Department announced that petrol and diesel prices will go up in February, increasing by 28 cents and 9 cents per litre, respectively. Paraffin is going to increase by 78.21 cents per litre.
The increase in price of petrol and paraffin comes at a time when workers and the poor are feeling the brunt of the collapse of the economy. The price of food, transportation, and all other essentials has increased while wages continue to decline. The mismanagement of South Africa's economy by the ANC and its collective incompetent cabinet has damaged the little disposal income that was available for workers.
When the price of petrol and paraffin goes up, the price of food also goes up. The transportation of food from farmers to shelves has increased drastically in the recent past. Even though South Africa produces enough food, there are many households, including children, that go to bed on an empty stomach because the cost of getting food to each household has become unbearable.
The rise in petrol prices at a time when the South African Reserve Bank is raising interest rates will push many people into poverty. The rate at which the cost of living has risen to the point where only the rich and wealthy will be able to afford food, while the rest will be reduced to street beggars. Many workers will not even be able to afford to travel to work as they will not be able to afford transportation.
The EFF condemns the insensitive and cruel manner in which fuel prices are handled in South Africa and calls for immediate halt to any form of increases until there is a substantive review of fuel levy that causes substantial increases in fuel prices.
The government and the South African Revenue Services are failing to grow the economy, collect enough revenue from businesses, and stop the scourge of aggressive tax avoidance and illicit financial flows. As a result, workers are suffering due to the incompetence and directionlessness of the ANC government.
Statement issued by the EFF, 1 February 2023
