WATCH: Mngxitama’s petrol hike threat to Ramaphosa

“Petrol rises in Haiti have brought down a prime minister who doesn’t want to listen to the people.”

This is what Black First Land First leader Andile Mngxitama has said in his threat to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Mngxitama plans to do to Ramaphosa what the “Haitian government did to their prime minister”.

Haitian Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant resigned on Saturday to avoid a looming no-confidence vote by the country’s lower chamber of deputies.

Haiti’s parliament was scheduled to fire Lafontant and his 18 cabinet members after an unpopular fuel price hike, which led to riots.

Lafontant quickly suspended the fuel hike hours after it was enacted. This, however, was too late, as violence continued all week.

The prime minister refused to step down, but calls for his exit were mounting as protesters accused government of mishandling the double-digit fuel increase that its ministers announced with little notice.

Mngxitama appears to have taken inspiration from the Haitian example.

“He has been forced to resign because he tried to put a burden of petrol on the poor,” said Mngxitama, adding that the BLF would keep a close eye on the developments in Haiti.

Another fuel price increase is expected in August following July’s petrol-price adjustment by the department of energy.

Ramaphosa’s visit to oil-producing nations last week was believed to be part of an attempt by the president to ask them to help ease the burden on consumers by producing more crude oil.

Calls for the reduction of the fuel price have come from different sectors of society, including the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Democratic Alliance.

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