The Automobile Association (AA) says Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is faced with serious challenges as he prepares to present the 2020 Budget in Parliament on Wednesday.
“The Minister will have to walk a trickier fiscal tightrope than many of his predecessors, and he will undoubtedly be seeking relief from different quarters to ease the country’s financial burden. This places him in a tough position where he will have to meet the needs of the country while at the same time ensuring there is enough money coming into government coffers to satisfy demand,” the AA says.
However, the Association says turning to the fuel levies as a source of revenue will be a dangerous, and ultimately damaging tactic, especially for the poor in the country.
“Previous years have seen higher than inflation-linked increases to the fuel levies – the General Fuel Levy, the Road Accident Fund levy, customs and excise taxes and the Carbon Tax. However, given the fact that many South Africans are buckling under severe financial constraints, such an increase this year will be more than detrimental, it could be catastrophic,” notes the Association.
The two major taxes – the General Fuel and Road Accident Fund levies – comprise around 40 per cent of every litre of fuel sold in the country. Currently, these taxes amount to R5.59 on every litre of petrol (GFL = R3.61 and RAF = 1.98), and R5.47 on every litre of diesel (GFL = R3.47 and RAF = R1.98). Neighbouring countries who buy fuel directly from South Africa do not add these taxes making their fuels cheaper than in the country which supplies them.
Any increases announced by the Minister on Wednesday come into effect in April.
“We have seen in the past that any increases to the fuel levies are met with a swift increase to public transport fares – including those of taxis. While a slight increase, even one in line with inflation, may not seem drastic, it has an enormous impact on the lives of consumers who rely on every cent to make it to the end of each month. These increases are therefore extremely harmful to the majority of citizens and should be considered an absolute last resort by the Finance Minister,” notes the AA.
In addition, the AA says any proposed increase to the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) along with an increase to the fuel levies will be doubly blown for consumers and the motor industry as a whole, one many will not be able to cope with.
“Seen against the background of government spending, a bloated civil service, looming increases to electricity rates, bailouts of State-Owned Entities to the tune of billions of Rands, and minimal or no increases to salaries and wages over the same period, any increase to the fuel levies now is ill-advised and counter-productive,” the AA warns.
The Association says its message to Mr Mboweni is simple: “Don’t do it, Minister”.