“We’re also going to see price increases at food stores,” another motorist said.
“And when the fuel price goes down, the food prices won’t, you’ll just see a special here and there. I feel sorry for people who have children; my children are grown up. I don’t know how families with children to feed do it. It’s truly difficult,” she said.
Wednesday marks the day South Africans pay the highest they have for petrol, with an extra 84c added per litre from midnight.
And to compound their woes, it looks set to increase again in the near future.
Consumers will pay an extra 84c a litre for all grades of petrol, 78c a litre more for diesel and 75c a litre more for illuminating paraffin.
September last year saw the record for the biggest single increase in South Africa’s petrol price when fuel went up by 93c a litre, while diesel went up by 69c a litre.
As of midnight, motorists in Gauteng have to fork out a record R13.23 a litre for 95 unleaded petrol, and coastal users will pay a record R12.86.
The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry is deeply concerned about the direction of the petrol price.
Grain and corn and wheat their prices will also go up, soon.
