Johannesburg - South Africans are angry over the recent fuel price increases, which they say will reduce their disposable income and saddle them with further unaffordable financial burdens.
The fuel price increases follow hikes in the price of electricity and rises in interest rates, food inflation and transport, all at a time when working people are trying to recover after income losses incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sebokeng resident Lebohang Phala said the fuel price increase was unfair as many people in the country are still trying to make a living after Covid-19. The 35-year-old mother of one child, who is an assistant teacher at a primary school in the area, said she was already struggling to survive on her salary.
“Imagine, I am earning less than R5 000, and the price of food has already gone up. What will happen when they decide to increase the prices again next month? How are we going to survive?” she asked.
Another resident, Dieketseng Lethoba, said the situation was not fair because she didn’t receive a salary increase. Lethoba, a teller at the Post Office, said the increase means she would have to spend more on fuel.
“This will have a severe effect on my family because I now spend more on fuel than other matters like electricity, water, and food, which is not acceptable at all. My children are no longer benefiting from my income like before.
“Everything is going up, while salaries remain the same and this adds pressure and depression in our lives.”
Vanderbijlpark resident, Joyce Mokone, lambasted the ANC, saying they are hypocrites. She shared the article where the governing party lashed out at the now-defunct National Party after the price of petrol went up in 1993.
“They said that was an ill-considered and uncaring decision to increase the petrol price and that the National Party does not have the interests of the majority of South Africans at heart, who are poor and struggling desperately to make ends meet.
“Today, they have taken the same decision, which makes them no different from the National Party. But this is sad because most of the poor are black people and are suffering under the leadership of the black government,” said the 38-year-old.
In Soweto, Tshepo Mahau, 36, said he was considering parking his car and using a taxi to go to work. Mahau, who is a teacher, said he was already struggling to make ends meet.
“I had to cut my groceries recently. This is because of the increase. Now, I am thinking of parking it and using the taxi, although taxis are expensive, I have no choice because prices are better than having to fill the petrol with more than R1 000,” he said.
Mohau said the government has to find a solution.
“Why are they not subsidising food and petrol? This is a government that does not care about its people. Just last week they wanted to pay R22 million for a flag, but they are failing to subsidise food and petrol for the people. Maybe it's time we vote them out in 2024,” he said.
Prince Lekotjolo, a resident of Randburg, Johannesburg, said although he was not happy about the increase, which raises the cost of living, there was no need for him to complain, because the government never listens to its people. He said the situation angered him because he not received a salary increase in the past three years.