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Eswatini

MANZINI – “We shall not give up on our quest for a higher amount of fuel price reduction,” says public transport operators.

The Chairperson of the National Road Transport Council (NRTC), Magesi Dlamini, said they appreciated the 60 cents reduction on petrol and 40 cents on diesel; but they were still seeking more.

Dlamini said the reason they wanted more was because the increment that had been effected in the past months surpassed the amount which was to be reduced in the current price of fuel.

Initially, he said they had been engaging three ministries to have fuel levies minimised by 50 per cent.

It is worth noting that taxes that play a role in the consumer price include the fuel levy remitted to Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accidents Fund (SMVAF) at 42 cents per litre, Eswatini National Oil Company

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THE NEW FUEL PRICES WILL, THEREFORE,

BE AS FOLLOWS:

Unleaded Petrol (ULP 95) price will decrease from E23.85/litre to E23.25/litre;

Diesel (0.005%S) price will decrease from E24.40/litre to E24.00/litre; and

PARAFfiN PRICE WILL BE MAINTAINED AT E19.15/LITRE.

(ENPC) levy of 35 cents per litre, the fuel oil levy at 50 cents per litre and the fuel tax, which is E3.85.

In total, the taxes amount to E5.12 per litre and instead, they wanted government to reduce it to E2.56 per litre, pending the stabilisation of the crude oil prices. Dlamini acknowledged that the current price reduction would assist them, but it was not sufficient as the other elements that resulted in their establishments operating were still high. He said commuters should not even anticipate any bus fare drop as their prices had not been increased in a long period while fuel continued to do so.

He said this following that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy yesterday announced that the price of petrol (ULP-95) will decrease by 60c per litre while diesel 50 ppm S will drop by 40c per litre.

Meanwhile, Swaziland Consumer Forum’s (SWACOF) Mandla Ntshakala said they were hoping to see the reduction in food prices as well. He said this was because fuel costs were computed to the logistics of items.

“We hope that it will be reduced further as the current reduction is not sufficient,” he said.

Ntshakala said since the outbreak of COVID-19, food prices had surged and despite the curfews that accompanied the height of the pandemic, they were still reduced. He said they were hoping that bread prices would be reduced and also food prices.