The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber notes with extreme concern that revised transport tariffs have been implemented into the prices for petrol, diesel and paraffin price structures for the metro and surrounding areas as from today. This results in the area being unfairly subjected to new pricing tariffs where consumers and businesses will pay more for their fuel than what they should normally have been subjected to as part of a coastal region, says Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen.
She says the accountability for the additional costs incurred for trucking fuel into the area after a berth at the Port Elizabeth Port was damaged in June, is unfairly being passed on to consumers and businesses in the Nelson Mandela Bay area.
“In practical terms on the price of 95 unleaded fuel, this means that consumers in the Bay received a 83 cents reduction instead of 114 cents, while those in Kariega were penalised even more with a 50 cents reduction and the Kirkwood area with a 45 cents reduction. In terms of diesel, the Bay received a 73 cents reduction, Kariega a 50 cents reduction and the Kirkwood area got a 45 cents reduction,” Van Huyssteen says.
It is important to note that on LPG gas the Bay received a 250 cents increase, Kariega got a 162 cents increase and Kirkwood a 149 cents increase.
“This unilateral and unjust decision does not take into account the fact that Nelson Mandela Bay is in recession and has among the highest unemployment rates in the country. Equally worrying, the accountability for the issue has simply been transferred to consumers and businesses who are already reeling from the consequences of the recent massive electricity price increases and other factors affecting the cost of living and the costs associated with operating businesses,” she says.
“While we understand that this pricing structure is of a temporary nature, and that once the berth is fixed the area will return back to its former allotted zone, this decision will still have a permanent effect and may potentially impact upon future fuel pricing adjustments.
“We are currently reviewing the matter and once we have a full understanding of the implications, we will consider the various options to determine our next steps in opposing this harsh and unfair decision.”
Related: Dear GQ Business – Follow the Governments Lead With This Humdinger of an Excuse
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Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) is a beautiful city located on the coast in the Eastern Cape Province and is known as the “Friendly City”, with other towns in this district including Kariega (Uitenage) and Despatch. Forming part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Gqeberha has stunning beaches, historical museums and memorials, award-winning wildlife sanctuaries and super friendly people, making it a spectacular holiday destination.
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