AA worried about 25c/l increase to the fuel levy

VAAL TRIANGLE - The Automobile Association (AA) said, while it welcomed the decision not to increase value-added tax (VAT), it was dismayed at the increases to the general fuel and Road Accident Fund levies. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni announced the increases in his budget speech yesterday. Mboweni announced a combined 25 cent increase to the two main fuel levies: 16c will be added to the general fuel levy, bringing it to R3.63 on every litre of fuel; and 9c will be added to the Road Accident Fund levy, bringing it to R2.07 on every litre. This means citizens will pay R5.70 towards these two taxes alone on every litre of fuel. AA spokesperson, Layton Beard, said they acknowledge that revenue must be collected towards the fiscus and the difficult decisions the minister had to make in preparing this budget. Beard said however, as they pointed out earlier, the increases to the fuel levies will hurt the poorest of the poor hardest and will make transport costs that much more expensive for many who rely on transport daily to earn a living. PHOTO: (Supplied)