Oval Office optics don't lessen fuel levy pain

WHILE President Cyril Ramaphosa stood shoulder to shoulder with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday, discussing trade and "mutually beneficial partnerships", millions of South African workers were bracing for a far less glamorous reality: another punishing fuel levy hike.

- TAHIR MAEPA

The timing of these two events one dripping with diplomatic pomp, the other dripping with desperation paints a stark portrait of a government increasingly out of touch with the daily struggles of its people.

The Minister of Finance's decision to raise fuel levies, effective immediately, is not merely a fiscal adjustment; it is an existential threat to households already teetering on the edge.

For workers earning minimum wage, the levy increase per litre means choosing between a full meal and a full tank.

For mothers commuting from townships to suburbs for domestic work, it means sacrificing school fees to cover taxi fares.

For small-scale farmers transporting goods to markets, it means profits evaporating before the first sale.