South Africa taxis to hike fare amid spiralling fuel hikes

South Africans who make use of minibus taxis as a means of transportation will have to brace for another cost of living increase, after a Santaco representative revealed that the organisation is set on introducing a fee hike as of July 1.

Santaco's KwaZulu-Natal manager Sifiso Shangase spoke to IOL on Tuesday and said that the organisation is going to increase taxi fares, but could not state by how much.

This comes just after Santaco announced on Tuesday that it would be hosting a national level meeting to discuss the spiralling fuel hike that has subsequently led to the dramatic increase in basic food items as well.

"Santaco National Executive Committee is meeting today and will discuss the hot matter of the petrol price crises in the taxi industry," Santaco said in a statement.

Shangase said the meeting will be held in Pretoria, Gauteng.

"We have a constitutional obligation to meet and be able to address issues that we face in different provinces, and one of those issues is the issue of fuel prices, which we know is affecting everybody.

"We know that we will be increasing our fares by the 1st of July," he said.

While the increases in fuel and food costs have been felt throughout the world, one of the underlying reasons behind the drive in the cost of living has been based on the price of crude oil.

Crude oil prices have been driven up due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with expectations that the price may stay high until the war is over.

The price of crude oil has shot up to around $120 per barrel mark, forcing South Africans to pay just over R20 per litre of petrol or diesel.

In efforts to reduce some of the financial stress felt by citizens, the state had cut some of the levies that contribute to the final pump price consumers pay, but it was not a permanent solution.