Protest action erupts in Durban after fuel price hike

PROTESTORS gathered at 06.00 on Wednesday, July 7 as People Against Petrol Price Increase (PAPPI) opposed fuel price hikes.

Armed with placards, the handful of protestors took to KE Masinga Road (Old Fort Road).

This as Minister of Mineral Resources, Gwede Mantashe, yesterday, announced an increase of 29 cents a litre for petrol and 42 cents for diesel.

Also read: Motorists to fork out more for fuel costs from Wednesday

Speaking to the Berea Mail, after the protest, PAPPI National Convenor, Visvin Reddy said: “Citizens have had enough now with all these tariff increases and petrol increase and we believe these can be avoided, especially during a pandemic. There’s going to be a ripple effect on people when they can’t afford to survive.”

Reddy said protestors are appealing to political parties represented in the national assembly to rescind fuel price increases.

“South Africans will have to brace themselves for the single biggest increase in recent years as petrol goes up by 29c a litre and diesel 42c. These increases could have been cushioned or avoided altogether. We pay 37% in taxes and levies. Petrol costs under R8 a litre when it lands in our harbour. Government has direct control over the taxes it imposes on fuel. A 2% fuel tax reduction would have cushioned these increases,” he added.

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Reddy raised concerns that the fuel hikes will increase the cost of public transport and food.

“We are in the middle of a pandemic and our economy is in tatters. Millions have lost their jobs and our poverty levels are increasing at astronomical rates,” he said.

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