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DA slams fuel levy plan for W Cape
The Democratic Alliance and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) have come out with guns blazing against the provincial government's plan to forge ahead with an extra fuel levy for the Western Cape.
On Tuesday, Transport MEC Marius Fransman announced that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel had given the nod to the levy and that a public consultation process would now begin.
Drivers already pay a national levy of R1.16 a litre.
The DA's provincial transport spokesperson, Robin Carlisle, said on Wednesday that the Western Cape's leading foreign currency earners - agricultural exports and international tourism - would be severely compromised by the planned fuel tax.
Carlisle said the impact on agriculture and agricultural products would be even more profound.
"Farmers are already competing on a global level and their current profit margins are slender. The price increases have made diesel fuel the most inflationary expense in agriculture, (and) for many farmers it is becoming the biggest expense as well.
"The fuel levy will strike a devastating blow to primary producers and wipe out a significant number, which will aggravate our high unemployment rates."
IOL
Drivers already pay a national levy of R1.16 a litre.
The DA's provincial transport spokesperson, Robin Carlisle, said on Wednesday that the Western Cape's leading foreign currency earners - agricultural exports and international tourism - would be severely compromised by the planned fuel tax.
Carlisle said the impact on agriculture and agricultural products would be even more profound.
"Farmers are already competing on a global level and their current profit margins are slender. The price increases have made diesel fuel the most inflationary expense in agriculture, (and) for many farmers it is becoming the biggest expense as well.
"The fuel levy will strike a devastating blow to primary producers and wipe out a significant number, which will aggravate our high unemployment rates."
IOL
