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NTA yet to decide whether to support calls for national shutdown amid fuel price hikes

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The National Taxi Alliance (NTA) says it has not yet decided whether it will support the call for a national shutdown, in protest against the recent fuel hikes.

The NTA says it is currently engaging with the government to try and get it to exempt the taxi industry from some of the fuel levies and taxes.

However, NTA spokesperson Theo Malele says should government fail to respond to their demands they will join calls for a shutdown.

“We are currently engaging with government to try and get it to exempt the taxi industry from some of the fuel levies and taxes. [Because] we believe that it is the only solution available at this juncture to lessen the burden on the taxi operators and commuters.”

“We have every intention to negotiate with the government in good faith. However, should government fail to respond to our demands as they always do, we will be left without a chance but to call for a shutdown in conjunction with like-minded business and civil society,” adds Malele.

Santaco says no shutdown 

Meanwhile, National Taxi Council, Santaco has distanced itself from calls for a national shutdown. Santaco Tshwane spokesperson McDonald Makata says the National Santaco president is also not supporting the planned shutdown for 10 June, and that taxis will be operating.

“There’s no strike. I must repeat, there is no strike. There is no shutdown on the 10th. People must go to work, if there is such a call, it’s not from the taxi industry. There is no shutdown.”

The video below is reporting more on the possible shutdown:

‘Government’s intervention very limited’

Chief Economist at Old Mutual, Johan Els says the government’s intervention to limit the impact of rising prices on consumers is very limited.

Food and fuel prices have been rising steadily as a result of supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the price of Brent crude oil and other commodities.

The latest petrol adjustments announced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy have pushed the price of fuel to more than R25 litre.

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