Finding alternatives worse than fuel price

Fuel prices in South Africa are reaching record highs by the month on the back of a weak rand and rocketing oil price.

And the reality is that there really is no silver lining to this dark cloud. Not in terms of relief from the oil price any time soon or as far as alternatives go to make it easier on your pocket.

Opposition parties have been very vocal in calling on government to drop the levies on the fuel price, which is a combined R5.30 per litre, but there is no chance in hell that will happen as it makes up a large chunk of the annual budget.

The picture is just as grim when looking at cars powered by alternative means of energy. Hybrid and electric cars are simply not affordable yet, with the limited range offered by the current electrical engines an additional problem.

It will also take you years to make up the difference when choosing diesel over petrol as diesel-driven models are significantly more expensive than the entry-level petrol engines.

And unless you drive an extremely thirsty car, staying with petrol and downgrading to something lighter with a slightly better fuel consumption can also be like cutting the nose to spite the face. You have to go through the whole process of selling or trading in your current car and will have to pay someone’s commission and the fees on the new finance that might actually set you back a few years before you actually start to really save at the pump.

You can also attempt to save fuel through adopting more concerning driving techniques, but that isn’t always a viable option when you are clutching through Joburg traffic for a few hours every day.

And any possibility to commute to work on foot or bicycle - which has become very popular in large cities across the world – is also severely hampered by our lack of cycling lanes, lawless taxi drivers and the obvious safety concerns.

In short there is very little we can do about the fuel hikes, which reminds me of the old saying: “k*k en betaal is the wet van Transvaal”.

On a lighter note, in this week’s edition Mark Jones tells us why he rates the brand-new BMX X5 so highly after attending the launch in Atlanta last week. Folk who have poked fun at the off-road capabilities of the previous versions of BMW’s large premium SUVs might be pleasantly surprised this time around.

Ntsako Mthethwa is also impressed with the new Renault Duster after attending the local launch in Mpumalanga, but feels a little short-changed after driving Mercedes-Benz’s pricey X-Class.