No news of July 2 stayaway action in Dundee but another protest march COULD be on the cards
The AA proved correct in predicting that the price of petrol will increase by 26 cents a litre on Wednesday.
There has been no news of the July 2 Black Monday Stayaway Protest affecting Endumeni today. Picket action is expected in the main urban areas countrywide over the rise of fuel prices similar to the Black Monday campaign highlighting farm attacks. Protests will likely be limited, sporadic, and of limited duration.
However, it is understood that the protest action in Endumeni will continue today following the first two violent actions. A group is expected to march on the Municipality following the memorandum handed over on June 13 and the other protest on June 22.
Sources say the response received to the list of demands regarding the backlog of housing, alleged corruption, high service charges and other issues, was not satisfactory, hence today’s apparent protest. It is understood from police that the organisers have permission for a ‘legal march’.
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Mayor Richard Mbatha told the Courier last week that there was a hidden agenda behind the protests as many small contractors had been left out of supply chain management following an investigation into alleged tender corruption within the municipality. It is understood that some municipal employees have front companies which received tenders from the Endumeni Municipality.
However, the Municipality has been in hot water after two High Court judgments ruled them ‘offside’ in the awarding of a flawed security tender and a housing tender to build long-awaited homes in Forestdale, Craigside and Dlamini Village.
The judgment was ruled with costs against the Municipality which means ratepayers will have to fork out almost a R1-million in legal fees.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the AA proved correct in predicting that the price of petrol will increase by 26 cents a litre on Wednesday.
The Minister of Energy, Jeff Radebe, on Sunday announced that the petrol price would rise by 26c on Wednesday.
Petrol was already at an all-time high after June’s increase of 82 cents a litre and another fuel price hike is expected to hit already-reeling consumers hard.
The main reasons given for the fuel price adjustments were: –
the depreciation of the rand against the dollar- this had the most significant impact with the currency deteriorating from an average R12.51 to the dollar, to R13.29 to the dollar;
a decrease for the period in the price of crude oil;
and a decrease in the import price of petroleum products.
Messages on social media are calling on South Africans to shut down all major roads in protest over recent petrol price hikes and VAT increases.
As reported by the Sandton Chronicle, South Africans have expressed their displeasure with the price hikes by calling for protest action today.
Reports of the strike’s proposed effect vary wildly, with some circulating social media posts warning that shops, police stations, and hospitals will be blocked.
Other posts said drivers should block major roads and highways to aid the strike action.
“We are urging all taxi owners, bus owners, trucks owners, and small vehicle owners from all over the country to take part by parking their vehicles in the roads,” stated one message.
Some messages are demanding that petrol and diesel prices be decreased to R5 per litre, along with a lowering of VAT to 10%.
