Black Fuel Friday calls for cut in fuel hikes

PEOPLE Against Petrol, Paraffin and Price Increase (PAPPPI) is urging South Africans not to use public transport and not to refuel their cars on Friday, in an effort to force government to reduce fuel prices.

National Convenor of PAPPI, Visvin Reddy said Friday would be known as black fuel Friday and called upon everyone to join the national protest campaign by wearing black.

“People must stay away from school, work, shopping malls and join in the protest which will be held countrywide from 5am to 10am.”

“Do not use public transport and do not refuel your car. This is the ninth increase this year and with the rand rapidly weakening, they will increase petrol again next month. At this rate we can expect to pay close to R20 a litre before end of the year. The solution to all of this is for government to remove the taxes and levies from fuel prices, which is R5.31 off the price of petrol and diesel immediately,” said Reddy.

ALSO READ: AA warns of monster fuel hike

Reddy went on to say that to recover the money, government had to implement a policy they adopted back in 1990 which would mean imposing a special tax on monopoly industries like SASOL.

“Fuel prices can be reduced if we place the interests of the people first,” concluded Reddy.

Meanwhile, the Automotive Association ( AA) has predicted that fuel will increase by between 23 and 25 cents a litre, with diesel rising by around 28 cents and illuminating paraffin by 17 cents.

However, Energy Minister Jeff Radebe said the fuel prices would remain unchanged for this month except for the 4.9c/l increase in the retail margin of petrol to cater for the annual salary increase for forecourt attendants, cashiers and other administration staff.

The Energy Minister’s move in August to cap September’s increase at 5c‚ as opposed to an increase of between 25c and 28c is expected to cost the government about R500-million.

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