DA protest high fuel prices in Burgersfort

BURGERSFORT – Limpopo DA members have embarked on a campaign calling for the government to lower the
fuel tax on Tuesday in the CBD.

The party said that government should scrap the general fuel levy completely, to ease the impact of the record fuel price increases on motorists.

“During our campaign, we requested the motorists and the citizens at large to sign a petition as we are concerned that the fuel price is rocketing and thus affects us badly.
“The food prices are going up due to these increases. We, therefore, call on the ANC government to stop the fuel tax and reduce the fuel price,” said DA Cllr Tumelo Molapo of Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality.

Petrol and diesel prices had increased from Wednesday, with petrol reaching an unprecedented R25 a litre.
“If we do not stop this increase, millions more people will fall into poverty, many children and people will starve, businesses will go bankrupt, jobs will be lost and mass riots could be sparked.
“The timing of this massive petrol price hike could not be worse, with South Africans battling under the weight of
46% unemployment, rolling blackouts, irrational Covid regulations, flooding, drought and collapsing service delivery.”

Another DA councillor, Isaac Makofane said, “South Africans simply cannot afford to pay R25 per litre for fuel. And
they shouldn’t have to.

“The fuel price is one of the last remaining regulated and centrally controlled consumer prices. Fuel is grossly overtaxed, with 33% of the cost per litre going into the government coffers. It is literally being used as a cash
cow for the treasury. This must end.”

He said fuel in Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Tanzania, Namibia and Kenya is on average about R5 cheaper per litre, because their governments do not tax it as much.

“The South African government can do something to lower the fuel price in the country, it just chooses not to.”
Makofane said his party staged the protests in seven provinces across the country.”