Parliament will hold a debate on South Africa’s record fuel price hike following an official request by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA). The DA requested a debate on the latest pending increases, which could take the price of petrol to an unprecedented R25 per litre.
While the date and time for the debate has not been set, the discussions will be focused on the 1 June petrol price hike which could see the price of petrol increased by close to R4 per litre. DA leader John Steenhuisen has called for government intervention ahead of the increase or risk further civil unrest.
“If we do not stop this fuel price increase, millions more people will fall into poverty, children will be stunted, people will starve, businesses will go bankrupt, jobs will be lost and mass riots could be sparked, such as in Sri Lanka last month in response to fuel price hikes there.
“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.” Said Steenhuisen.
National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula responded in a letter to DA MP Kevin Mileham, saying that she has agreed to a debate of national importance on the record fuel price hikes. Nqakula said the programming committee would have to decide on a date for the debate.
Mileham said the DA would call for some of the fuel taxes to be scrapped. “The first thing we are proposing is scrapping the general fuel levy completely. That is around R3.93 per litre.”
The official opposition will hold protests against the rising fuel prices that will affect millions of South Africans.
Source: Eyewitness News, Business Tech, image from Eyewitness News