COSATU calls for scrapping of taxes as April fuel price surge looms

South Africans are bracing for the forthcoming fuel price surge, which comes on the back of the United States and Israel's war on Iran.

Cosatu is calling for urgent government intervention to soften the blow at the pumps.

According to the Central Energy Fund, South Africans will see petrol rise by R5.41 a litre and diesel by R8.84 from 1 April.

The union says the increases will hit already struggling households hard, with Parliamentary Coordinator Matthew Parks warning that many workers are being pushed to the brink.

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"We already have slow economic growth, high unemployment, and the cost of living is already so difficult for most people to survive."

He explains that transport costs are already eating into wages.

"Most people spend 40% of their salary just to get to work, and to increase that to 60%, that's just going to be a blow we can't sustain."

Cosatu is urging the government to consider delaying the February 2026 budget’s proposed fuel tax increases.

Doing so could provide critical breathing room and would be relatively easy from an administrative standpoint, says Parks.

"I think the first thing the government can do is to reduce the fuel tax and levies, which is about a third of the fuel price," says Parks.

Parks says there is a contingency reserve in the budget for disasters.

"We think this definitely constitutes a national disaster."

ALSO READ: Sharp fuel price increases likely in April as global oil uncertainty grows

To listen to Parks in conversation with 702/CapeTalk's Africa Melane, use the audio player below: