Relief for petrol and diesel, but not paraffin users – MISA
Fuel relief helps some, but rising paraffin prices will hurt poorer households this winter, according to the Motor Industry Staff Association.
The Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA) has welcomed the government’s decision to extend the R3 per litre fuel levy cut on petrol until June 2, as well as the increase in diesel relief to R3.93 per litre, effectively reducing the diesel levy to zero for May.
This means the general fuel levy on diesel has been suspended, a move MISA says will help ease pressure on workers, businesses and the transport sector.
However, the organisation expressed concern that millions of South Africans who rely on illuminating paraffin have been excluded from this relief. Paraffin prices are expected to rise by R5 or more per litre in May, placing additional strain on poorer households that depend on it for cooking, heating, and lighting, particularly as winter approaches.
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“This relief is welcome, but it cannot ignore the poorest of the poor. Families who rely on paraffin are being left behind. Government must urgently extend relief to paraffin users, or risk deepening inequality and hardship,” said MISA CEO: Operations, Martle Keyter.
MISA also welcomed progress in reviewing the fuel pricing mechanism, but stressed that the process must remain open, transparent, and inclusive. The organisation said workers, communities and civil society should have a meaningful role in shaping how fuel prices are regulated in future.
In addition, MISA called on the private sector to support economic and social stability by committing to a moratorium on retrenchments. The association warned that rising fuel costs should not be used as justification for job losses, emphasising that protecting workers and households must remain a priority in South Africa’s response to global economic pressures.
