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Paraffin price increase puts pressure on households as winter looms

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The price of paraffin goes up again this week, further putting pressure on poorer households. The price of a litre of paraffin will increase by R2,66 following multiple increases over the past few months.

Fuel prices have been rising on the back of increasing oil prices. The cost of living is increasing – making getting by even tougher.

The cost of paraffin has gone up by about R4 since the beginning of this year. It was R10, 96 per litre in January. The price is now R15,02 per litre in Gauteng.

Concerns about the high the paraffin price in winter

In some areas, residents say a litre of paraffin costs R19.

Community members in Slovo, say this increasing of paraffin is too much for them.

“One litre is costing something like R19. It means a week, I have to use something like R50 and here I have got a small baby by the house, he needs porridge and milk. Baby food has to be warm, [the baby needs warm water] to bath and you see we are going into winter,” says a community member.

“I don’t know when it’s winter how much the paraffin will cost. I don’t know from May, June, July and August how much paraffin is going to be. We are suffering, sometimes I don’t even have money to buy paraffin,” explains one community members.

The video below is reporting more on this story:

Impact of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine conflict on the price 

The impact of COVID-19 has inflicted hardships on many, with many losing their jobs and other means of making a living.

Researcher, Nkosinathi Majozi says times are tough for many, with increasing fuel prices also impacting taxi fares and the general prices of goods.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy says the increase in fuel prices is as a result of among others the sanctions imposed on Russia and the limited supply from oil producers despite increasing global demand.

The price of petrol is expected to go up this month by 36c  a litre.

Diesel will go up by about R1,68 a litre, while Paraffin will likely go up by about R2,66 cents per litre.

The video below is reporting on the fuel price increase:

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