It is anticipated that consumers will feel even more strain on their pockets when the temporary fuel levy relief is reduced in the coming months.  

For this month, the levy for petrol was maintained at R1.10 with both grades having increased by R3,27 cents per litre, while the levy on diesel was reduced to zero, with the cost having risen by R5,27 cents per litre. This has pushed the cost of petrol to between R25,80 and R26,62 and diesel to over R30 per litre. 

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In June, the fuel levy is expected to be R1,50 for petrol and R1,96 for diesel, with the levy set to return to R4,10 for petrol and R3,93 in July. 

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Because of this, the debt counselling company, Debt Rescue, predicts that the current financial pressure on consumers is likely to grow. COO Annaline van der Poel said people are now having to choose between transport, food and meeting financial obligations. 

“What makes this particularly concerning is that households have already adjusted their behaviour. People are driving less, cutting back where possible and trying to stretch their budgets. But there is a limit, especially when getting to work is not optional; it’s essential,” said van der Poel.  

With the knock-on effect of increased fuel costs, consumers can expect to see the impact in public transport fares, grocery bills and other everyday items.  

“Fuel prices don’t exist in isolation, they affect the cost of transport, food and essential goods. When diesel increases at this level, it drives up the cost of production and distribution across the economy, and that cost is ultimately passed on to the consumers,” said van der Poel.  

CEO of Debt Rescue, Neil Roets, suggested some ways consumers can alleviate some of the impact: 

• Carpooling: which can free up much-needed income by reducing monthly fuel costs  

• Use of loyalty/rewards cards: like ‘double-swiping’ (using a fuel station’s rewards card in tandem with a partnered bank or grocery loyalty programme to earn two layers of points or cashback on a single transaction) 

• Adopting efficient driving habits: like reducing consumption by maintaining a steady 100km/h highway speed, avoiding the heavy fuel-surge of stop-start traffic through better momentum management, and grouping multiple errands into a single ‘loop’ to ensure the engine operates at its most efficient temperature. 

• Fuel efficiency: by clearing unnecessary weight in or on the vehicle. 

“While the onus – rightly or wrongly – is on the man on the street to tighten his belt even further, it is essential that authorities respond with practical solutions to alleviate the financial pressure on South Africans, or we are looking at a consumer cost-of-survival crisis of immense proportions looming on the horizon,” Roets said.