Premier Alan Winde says he has written to the Presidency and the office of the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources to raise concerns about what appears to be the increased hoarding of fuel stock by some suppliers.

This as reports filter through of some filling stations running dry, and farmers not getting access to adequate diesel stocks.

According to a survey conducted by AgriSA and Agbiz, respondents in several rural regions reported constrained supply, with some fuel retailers introducing rationing measures and limiting volumes due to uncertainty over replenishment.

The agricultural bodies say these developments are already beginning to affect normal farming and agribusiness activities at a critical stage in the production cycle.

AgriSA and Agbiz has called on government to immediately adjust the fuel prices, to create certainty and prevent panic buying and hoarding.

Winde has reiterated that the practice of hoarding fuel by suppliers is unethical.

“I implore suppliers to continue providing fuel for their clients. Withholding supply places the economy and livelihoods, especially in the province’s agriculture sector, which accounts for over 50% of the entire country’s exports, at great risk. I have written to the President and Minister requesting their urgent intervention to ensure stability and prevent avoidable disruptions to primary sectors of our economy.”

Winde says the Competition Commission of South Africa has also indicated that price gouging is illegal. There are isolated reports of fuel retailers hiking prices in advance.

He says any provider increasing prices in advance of any actual fuel cost hike or increasing prices far more than their actual cost risks being prosecuted and found guilty of price gouging. Complaints should be submitted to ccsa@compcom.co.za.

Residents are also asked to submit reports on fuel shortages to the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources at fuel.complaints@dmpr.gov.za.

Winde says the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) is monitoring the situation, along with the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa (FIASA) and other key stakeholders.

FIASA has reassured the country that there is currently sufficient fuel available nationally to meet demand.

Therefore, Winde concluded, any end-user fuel shortages are very likely the result of market manipulation.

“Provinces have no mandate over fuel supply matters. It is, therefore, critical that the national government steps in and takes decisive action against unscrupulous suppliers. Their actions can have the potential of derailing the entire country’s economic recovery.”

The South African Police Service in the Western Cape has arrested seven suspects as part of a large investigation into the disruption of long-distance bus services.

The arrests took place on Friday and Saturday in Cape Town, Matatiele and Nelspruit.

Police say the arrests follow a four-year investigation into alleged organised crime in the transport sector between 2021 and 2023. The suspects are accused of intimidating and extorting long-distance bus companies, forcing them to pay large sums of money in exchange for “protection” and permission to operate.

In some cases, the pressure allegedly forced companies to shut down or reduce services, affecting commuters who rely on long-distance travel. The illegal activities are also believed to have pushed up ticket prices.

Authorities say the group may have made hundreds of millions of rand through these activities. Investigators also uncovered alleged collusion between the suspects, some of whom reportedly have financial interests in the transport industry.

The seven suspects now face around 125 charges, including intimidation, extortion, money laundering and running a criminal enterprise under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

Six men and one woman, aged between 35 and 65, are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 30 March.

Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile has praised the investigation team for uncovering crimes that are often concealed.

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As South Africans are bracing for a massive fuel price shock on 1 April, South Africa’s agricultural sector is raising fresh concerns about fuel availability, warning that emerging supply constraints in rural areas could disrupt farming operations and threaten food production.

Industry bodies AgriSA and Agbiz, which represent the full agricultural value chain, have called on the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to urgently consider a temporary adjustment to the country’s fuel pricing mechanism.

The appeal follows a joint survey conducted on 24 and 27 March among farmers and fuel retailers servicing the agricultural sector. While official communication has maintained that national fuel supply remains stable, the agricultural organisations say the survey paints a more complex picture at farm level.

Respondents across several regions reported constrained supply, with some fuel retailers introducing rationing measures and limiting volumes due to uncertainty over replenishment.

“These developments are already beginning to affect normal farming and agribusiness activities at a critical stage in the production cycle.”

AgriSA and Agbiz say the situation does not stem from a single cause, but rather a combination of global oil market volatility, supply chain pressures, and behavioural responses within the market. In such an environment, they argue, accurate and responsive pricing signals are essential to stabilise supply.

To ease pressure and reduce the risk of further disruption, the organisations have proposed an immediate, out-of-cycle fuel price adjustment to better reflect current market conditions.

They are also calling for more frequent, temporary price reviews instead of the standard monthly adjustments during the current period of volatility.

According to the groups, these measures are not intended to increase costs, but to ensure prices more accurately reflect underlying conditions, reducing incentives for panic buying or supply withholding.

Fuel is a major input cost in agriculture, accounting for roughly 12% to 18% of production expenses. Any disruption in supply, particularly during peak planting, harvesting or transport periods, poses a direct risk to food production, supply chains, and ultimately, national food security.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has not released the final fuel price adjustments for April, as political parties pressure the government to delay and reduce fuel levies to cushion the blow.

If prices are adjusted without intervention, South Africans face a massive fuel increase of between R6 (for petrol) and nearly R11 (for diesel).

Neighbouring country Namibia shielded its citizens from the full impact of a fuel price increase, opting to reduce fuel levies by 50% for the next three months, which is the same proposal the DA has put forward.

Five people were killed on the Cape Flats

Colonel Traut says the first shooting occurred on J. Nontulo Street, Gugulethu. Some individuals were socialising in a backyard when unknown suspects gained access to the premises and opened fire, before fleeing the scene. Police suspect this could have been a targeted hit. Officers say a 24-year-old man had survived the attack.

Two deadly shootings

A minor has sustained fatal injuries after a section of a wall collapsed on him at Lerutle Primary School in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, yesterday.

The Gauteng Department of Education’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says a section of the school wall reportedly collapsed during interval, falling onto six learners and leaving them with severe injuries.

“Tragically, one of the injured learners, a Grade 3 boy, later succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention in hospital.”

Mabona has since confirmed that the department will be providing the affected families with the necessary support during this difficult time.

“The Gauteng Department of Education has deployed psycho-social support teams to provide counselling and emotional support to affected learners, educators, and the bereaved family during this difficult period,” said Mabona.

Meanwhile, education activist Hendrick Makaneta has called on government to address the maintenance of school buildings to avoid further fatalities.

“The collapse of a wall at Lerutle Primary School is confirmation that our learners are no longer safe at school. Schools carry a legal and moral duty to provide a conducive and safe environment for learning and teaching. The circumstances surrounding this incident suggest that reasonable steps to prevent harm may not have been taken.”

While the Gauteng Department of Education has launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse, Makaneta is calling for severe consequences for those responsible for this tragic incident.

“It is necessary that a thorough investigation be conducted without delay and that all findings be made public. Accountability must not end with expressions of sympathy; it must include consequences for any party found to have acted negligently in their duty of care.”