MINISTERS have two weeks to come up with measures to make life easier for struggling consumers.
While President Cyril Ramaphosa was careful not to raise hopes of a quick solution, he said he has given his economic cluster ministers a two-week deadline to come up with measures to ease the burden that high fuel prices are placing on SA’s consumers.
“Without raising anybody’s hope, I am saying there will be an interim report that they will give me,” Ramaphosa said.
The administration is facing pressure from consumers struggling under the record high petrol prices and increase in VAT.
Ramaphosa might also be forced to revise the budget presented by the former finance minister, Malusi Gigaba, earlier this year.
Cosatu, SACP and political parties have called for government to increase petrol reserves and consider freezing or decreasing the fuel levy.
Ramaphosa said they would see to what extent they could make more products exempt from VAT. He was speaking to journalists after a visit to oil-producing countries such as Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Ramaphosa urged Saudi Arabia to increase production to curb increasing oil prices. South Africa imports 47% of its oil from Saudi Arabia.
“People must understand we are concerned about the impact of fuel prices on South Africans,” Ramaphosa said.
