Image: bizoon/123rf/File photo
Many have expressed dismay with the department of mineral resources & energy’s miscalculation of fuel prices‚ saying 6c makes little difference.
The department‚ on Wednesday‚ issued an apology after finding out it had miscalculated the December fuel price.
It said the price of both grades of petrol was increased by 75c‚ instead of the 81c that was previously announced.
The department said the 6c difference was due to the fact that the wage adjustment for service station workers‚ which was already implemented in September‚ had been mistakenly added to the December fuel price calculation.
“Although it is for the very first time that such an error has occurred in the history of basic fuel price determination in SA‚ the department profusely apologises for the inconvenience caused. The rest of the fuel prices are correct‚” it said in a statement.
This minor adjustment will be of little consolation to motorists and commuters‚ with petrol still costing about 40% more than it did a year ago.
The Automobile Association (AA) has called for a review of the fuel price structure‚ saying the price of oil played almost no part in the latest hikes.
The AA said there is an urgent need to recalculate the fuel pricing model and reduce the two main taxes paid on every litre of fuel‚ the General Fuel Levy and Road Accident Fund levy‚ which together comprise about 30% of the price.
On social media‚ many said the changes were very small for the consumer‚ and that the person in the department who overstated the price should be held accountable.
Here is a snapshot of what many had to say:
Goverment calculating the feul price increase pic.twitter.com/n7KTS7gCHm
— Tauman (@spora1) December 1, 2021
What a wow. This changes very little for the consumer.
Petrol price increases. Unemployment approaching 50%. This is not how you navigate a nation towards economic prosperity.
We need a government that can keep the lights on, keep us safe and deliver quality jobs. https://t.co/bTOXvqGdUY
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) December 1, 2021
South Africa government MIScalculates Petrol price hike as 81 cents/L INSTEAD of 75 cents/L – overstating it by 6 cent/L. A whole Goverment department???
A clear indication of how obsessed they've become with Fuel price increases. pic.twitter.com/WdZJmsCeVV
— Theko Mangelo Ntuli? (@Mang3l0) December 1, 2021
“We have reduced petrol prices by 7 cents, we are hard at work. We are a working government “ pic.twitter.com/sPzvWe0lwk
— Professor JP Mahlangu? (@ProfMahlangu) December 1, 2021
Department of Energy is not a person, who in the Department has overstated the price and thus inducing more burden to the society. And why did he/she do it?
We want that person so that he/she must account. Mr @CyrilRamaphosa anf the @PresidencyZA a head must roll there.
— Mosiuoar (@Mosiuoar1) December 1, 2021
Source: ARENA Holdings.
