Nelson Mandela Bay fuel price SHOCKER on the cards

An application by wholesalers will rezone the Nelson Mandela Bay fuel price from ‘coastal’ to ‘inland’. Here’s why …

Wrangling over the Nelson Mandela Bay fuel price will only hurt cash-strapped motorists in the long run. Image: File/Fotor

This morning South Africans are enjoying the fifth consecutive fuel price decrease in as many months. However, while Mzansi is counting its savings all around the country, an urgent application has been made to rezone the Nelson Mandela Bay fuel price from ‘coastal’ to ‘inland’. According to Daily Maverick, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe will preside over the matter of the Nelson Mandela Bay fuel price.

NELSON MANDELA BAY FUEL PRICE

Minister Mantashe has the final say whether the fuel price will be ‘rezoned’. Image: File

At midnight last night (Tuesday 1 October 2024), the fuel price dropped yet again between 106 and 114 cents across petrol and diesel grades, and regions. Specifically, the cheapest 93-grade petrol at the coast is now less than R20 per litre. However, the R19.94-per-litre figure is lower than an equivalent R20.73 for the same grade retailed inland. This discrepancy occurs due to the added cost of moving fuel from ports with road tankers.

Now, thanks in part to Transnet, the Nelson Mandela Bay fuel price looks set to be rezoned, with the added cost passed on to motorists. This is because the Liquid Fuel Wholesalers Association (LFWA) says it is currently unable to use the Port Elizabeth Harbour due to a damaged tanker berth. Back in June 2024, a vessel carrying LPG gas collided with and damaged the harbour. And Transnet is yet to start the repair process.

PRICE PAIN PASSED TO MOTORISTS

Motorists queue to fill their vehicles following the latest fuel-price decrease. Image: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg

With yet another fuel price drop anticipated in November 2024 (potentially the sixth in a row), it’s Nelson Mandela Bay motorists who will miss out on big savings. Nevertheless, Transnet says it has triggered an emergency procurement process to assess the damage and speed up repairs. With that said, repair work is still only expected to start early in 2025.

LFWA argues wholesalers are fetching fuel from East London Harbour and transporting it to Nelson Mandela Bay by road. Therefore, this constitutes the Nelson Mandela Bay fuel price be like an any other ‘inland’ destination. Accordingly, the situation creates an unfair business environment, say the wholesalers, as they are the ones incurring the cost.

If approved by the minister, rezoning prices are expected to remain in place until such time as Transnet has repaired the tanker berth in Port Elizabeth Harbour. We’ll keep you posted as this story unfolds …

DO YOU AGREE THAT NELSON MANDELA BAY SHOULD BE CHARGED INLAND PRICES?

Weigh-in with your opinion in the comments section below. Image: File

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