Fuel prices in South Africa are expected to rise from April 1.

This is due to escalating international oil prices that are driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and local communities, like Randburg, are already feeling the impact.
At the Randburg taxi rank, taxi drivers stated that the increasing petrol and diesel prices are going to place pressure on their day-to-day operations, which, in turn, may result in the rise of taxi fares, affecting both commuters and themselves.

Read more: Digital access boosted at Randburg Taxi Rank

Taxi driver Alfred Checha said the increases cannot be ignored within the industry. “It affects us negatively, forcing us to raise taxi fares because petrol will be hurting us financially.” While fares have not yet gone up, Checha added that, as of April 1 and going forward, there might be an increase in the taxi fares.

Taxi driver Sabelo Nkosi advised that the rising fuel costs could push up prices across the economy and may not affect transport only. “I don’t think that, as fuel prices go up, everything will stay the same. There will also be inflation in our local stores.”

Also read: Inside the day of a Randburg taxi driver

Commuters are already struggling to keep up. Freda Makoale, a commuter, said that the situation is bad, but worse for those who are currently unemployed. “It’s bad because some of us are not working. We are suffering, but there is nothing we can do.”

According to a statement shared by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), the organisation also acknowledged the rising concerns about the situation. “We are acting with urgency to stabilise the situation and protect both operators and commuters. We call on the government to immediately provide clear direction on fuel price expectations, and to work with us on practical relief measures,” said Santaco president Abnar Tsebe in a recent statement.

@caxtonjoburgnorth Watch: Freda Makoale says increasing transport costs are going to make it difficult for unemployed commuters to afford regular travel. Video: Ditiro Masuku #Taxi #Randburg ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

The organisation noted that while no nationwide fare increase has been confirmed, some taxi associations have started to communicate fare increases with their commuters.

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