Johnathan Paoli
THE DA’s march against rising costs of living kicked off in Butterworth, Eastern Cape on Wednesday, triggered by the recent fuel price hikes.
The party blamed the ANC’s neglect and incompetence as having resulted in the increasing deterioration of the living standards of South Africans, especially the poor and marginalised.
The DA chose to march in Butterworth because last month a young mother from this town allegedly took the lives of her three children, before killing herself, as she could no longer put food on the table.
The march is expected to be led by DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader Andrew Whitfield, EC Provincial Chairperson Yusuf Cassim, Shadow Minister of Social Development Brigette Masango, Chief Whip of the Official Opposition, Siviwe Gwarube, Phesheya Kwenciba Constituency Leader Mlindi Nhanha, Alfred Nzo Constituency Leader Baxolile Nodada, EC Shadow MEC for Social Development Kobus Botha, and Provincial Spokesperson Georgina Faldtman.
Masango said the DA wanted the government to cut the fuel levies and taxes to bring the petrol price down and to zero-rate more basic foodstuffs.
“We have also called on the government to urgently review the zero-rated items to include more items that are purchased by our poor and vulnerable. These items include wheat flour, margarine, cooking oil, baby food, soup powder and beef and bone-in chicken,” Masango said.
DA’s Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Kevin Mileham said the recent price increases were way above market expectations and another reminder that the ruling-party will not take urgent policy steps that could possibly reduce the price of food by lowering fuel prices.
“While there is clear evidence that high fuel prices are damaging our economic growth prospects, pushing consumers to the brink, and exacerbating a high cost of living environment, the ANC has adopted an indifferent and cavalier attitude which simply confirms that they do not care about the welfare of consumers,” Mileham said.
The march comes on the heels of the Department of Minerals and Energy’s latest fuel price adjustments with the price of petrol expected to increase by between R1.08 and R1.14 per litre, while the price of diesel by between R1.96 per litre and R1.93 per litre.
Department of Energy spokesperson Robert Maake said the reasons for the increases include the higher oil price, which led to higher prices of petroleum products, as well as a shortage of diesel globally and the weakening of the rand against the dollar.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Durban rate-payers owe the municipality R19 billion as households were struggling to pay because of diminishing incomes.
The financial hardships in many households exacerbated an increasing reliance on credit facilities, with several banks witnessing a surge in credit impairments due to high interest rates and consumer inflation.
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