South Africans are set for a bleak start to spring as households face stage 6 load shedding until the end of the week at least, record petrol increases, and the threat of higher food prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africans continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis amid harsh economic conditions, and this trend is expected to persist into September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Battered consumers will face massive increases in fuel prices from Wednesday, which will usher in the highest price hike since July 2022 for petrol and a record increase in the price of diesel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Food prices continued to climb in August, and there is little prospect of relief at the tills considering the huge increases in fuel – which impact producers and retailers significantly. South Africans also face the prospect of higher rice prices and increased pressure from changing weather conditions in the months ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Putting a further dampener on these realities is that the country is back to stage 6 load shedding – the highest stage of load shedding so far – as the lack of maintenance at Eskom\u2019s generating units catches up with the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Record fuel hikes <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has published the official petrol and diesel price changes for September \u2013 reflecting warnings published throughout August as motorists are in for a hefty price hike from Wednesday, 6 September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Petrol prices will increase by R1.71 per litre, and diesel will be hiked by between R2.76 and R2.84 a litre \u2013 marking the steepest increase in petrol since July last year and a new record diesel rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n