South Africans Encouraged by Government to Work From Home to Save Costs as Fuel Prices Increase
- South African residents may have to get their home offices ready as government warns of an increase in fuel prices
- The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy deputy director-general Tseliso Maqubela empathised with motorists
- Social media users believe that only the poor will suffer as they would be unable to work from home
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CAPE TOWN – South Africans who can work from home are recommended to do so as government warns of an increase in fuel prices.
Speaking during Parliament’s portfolio committee’s meeting on mineral resources and energy on the impact of increasing fuel prices and possible alternatives or considerations, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy deputy director-general Tseliso Maqubela said if South Africans have the tools to work from home should do so.
Source: Getty Images
IOL reports that oil prices have skyrocketed in recent weeks due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as Russia is the third top producer of crude oil in the world.
According to Times Live, the deputy director-general empathised with motorists and commuters.
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Maqubela said that the impact of the fuel increase will have a negative impact on the economic growth since South Africans will have to spend most of their money on fuel and not on other expenses.
He added that the cost of transport fees has increased and will continue to do so and that travelling to work has become highly expensive.
South Africans took to social media to react to the news
@LP54314615 shared:
“It is only the poorest of the poorest who suffer the most. How can they clean the employer’s workplace from home, they must take a taxi to go and clean, petrol attendants must pay transport fees to get to work. The rich can afford to work from home, they have internet.”
@CarlosGameiro24 responded:
“And what happens to the staff employed in the petrol industry? Petrol pump attendants and staff working at the petrol refineries will be retrenched due to lower the lower demand for fuel. Government must get their act together and regulate the selling price properly!”
@Nolan79675567 commented:
“We need to ask why isn't cheap fuel is sourced? Why are we buying in dollars?”
@OGSLY added:
“They want people to work from home until load shedding starts.”
"We'll walk to work": South Africans horrified by fuel prices going up by R20 per litre on Wednesday
Briefly News previously reported, the Department of Mineral and Energy has announced that fuel prices are expected to go up by 81 cents from Wednesday, 01 December. With this latest price increase, fuel is expected to cost over R20 per litre in inland provinces such as Gauteng.
At the beginning of November, fuel prices increased drastically by R1.21 per litre for petrol and the price of diesel by R1.48. The price of diesel will increase between 72.5c a litre and 74.5c, according to eNCA.
This recent fuel hike can be blamed on the rand falling drastically against the rand. The rand now trades at R15.85 per dollar, whereas in the previous month the rand traded at R14.72 against the dollar.
Source: Briefly News
