We wish it were an April Fool’s joke, but unfortunately residents throughout the Cape and South Africa will not only be hit by a steep fuel increase but also a hike in Eskom tariffs.
This comes after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa decision to grant Eskom a 9.41% increase for the 2019/2020, 8.10% for the 2020/2021 and a further 5.83% for the 2021/2022 financial year. These increases are added to the 4.41% increase Nersa had already granted Eskom as part of its Regulatory Clearing Account grant.
This decision has been met with great resistance from locals and many are questioning why they should pay more for electricity when Capetonians often have their power cut during the frequent load shedding periods.
The ever-weakening rand has resulted in a massive fuel hike as the rise in fuel taxes that come into effect as of today, adding 15 cents for fuel levy and five cents for the RAF levy.
The Rand appreciated against the US Dollar during the period under review (February 1 2019 to 28 February 2019), on average, when compared to the previous period. The average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate for the period was 13.8038 compared to 13.9476 during the previous period.
This led to a lower contribution to the Basic Fuel Prices on petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin by 6.43 c/l, 7.58 c/l and 7.53 c/l respectively.
All grades of petrol and diesel will climb by up to R1.34c to the litre from Wednesday April 3, the department of energy announced late on Saturday. Motorists will pay close to R15 per litre of petrol for the first time this year.
Energy Minister Jeff Radebe noted that April is an important month in the fuel price calendar to revise road and pipelines tariffs as well as fuel and Road Accident Fund levies, to be implemented into the price structures of petrol, diesel and Illuminating paraffin (IP).
The fuel prices from April 3 2019 are as follows:
– Petrol (93 Octane, ULP and LRP): 134.00 c/l increase
– Petrol (95 Octane, ULP and LRP): 131.00 c/l increase
– Diesel (0.05% sulphur): 81.70 c/l increase
– Diesel (0.005% sulphur): 82.70 c/l increase
– Illuminating Paraffin (wholesale): 63.00 c/l increase
– SMNRP for IP: 65.00 c/l increase
– Maximum LPGas Retail Price: 171.00 c/kg increase.
Picture: Pexels