Kwamhlanga
By: Lucky Professor Mahlangu
– South African motorists should brace themselves for a record-high increase in the price of fuel that will see them pay about R17 for a litre of petrol.
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced that the fuel hike will take effect from 7 April.
Petrol will increase by R1 a litre which will take the cost of fuel to around R17 a litre inland and at least R16.64 a litre on the coast.
Diesel will increase by between 63 and 65 cents.
Automobile Association spokesperson Layton Beard said: “When you look at the petrol price going up by a rand, it’s pushing petrol up into record territory and the diesel price isn’t far behind. The big drive is the basic fuel price that has increased because of international oil prices putting pressure on that fuel price as well as the weakening rand/US dollar exchange rate. We can’t (also) forget that we are adding 27 cents to the fuel levies.”