DURBAN - Low income households have been urged to spend their money wisely in the face of a paraffin price hike.
Paraffin is set to increase by 20 cents per litre today.
The advocacy group Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group director Mervy Abrahams says households are going to battle as they juggle energy and food prices.
“Paraffin is the primary energy source to many low-income households and with the winter and the cold weather settling in there is huge demand for this important energy source,” said Abrahams.
He added that price stability in the areas of energy, transport and food was the best possible mechanism that could enable households to cope under difficult economic conditions.
According to trade union UASA, the substantial fuel price increase of 20c/ℓ for diesel and 21c/ℓ for illuminating paraffin as announced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy hits ordinary consumers in the pocket as they will have to fork out extra cash for heating and cooking.
“Low-income households that solely depend on paraffin for heating and cooking will feel the pain of the higher cost as winter has closed in and the struggle to keep warm now means paying more,” said union spokesperson Abigail Moyo.
The union noted that with the sky-high unemployment rate, there would be even more pressure on struggling breadwinners without much disposable income and appealed on workers and consumers to spend their money wisely and on necessities first.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Mineral Resources and Energy Department cited the increasing trend in crude oil prices as the reason for the rise in international refined petroleum product prices of diesel and illuminating paraffin.
THE MERCURY