1 April 2026
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) expresses serious concern at the steep increase in the price of illuminating paraffin, including the adjustment to the Single Maximum National Retail Price.
While government has moved to cushion petrol and diesel users through a temporary fuel levy reduction, no equivalent relief has been extended to paraffin beyond the standard price regulation mechanism. This means poor households that rely on paraffin remain fully exposed to these increases. This is deeply concerning.
An increase of R11.67 per litre at wholesale level, and a R15.60 per litre increase in the regulated maximum retail price, is not just steep, but it is punitive. It targets households that have no alternatives and no cushion. For many working-class and poor households, paraffin is not a discretionary cost. It is used for cooking, heating, and lighting. There are no viable alternatives. This increase therefore translates directly into reduced access to basic energy.
FEDUSA therefore finds it unacceptable that, in a moment where relief measures have been introduced elsewhere in the fuel pricing system, those at the bottom of the income spectrum are left to absorb the full impact. This raises a fundamental question of equity.
If relief is possible for motorists, it must be possible for households. The current approach risksvdeepening inequality by protecting mobility while neglecting basic energy needs. FEDUSA calls on government to urgently introduce targeted relief measures on paraffin pricing and to ensure that any future interventions in the energy space prioritise vulnerable households. Workers cannot be protected in part. Relief must be fair, and it must be inclusive.
END.