Kimberley, Northern Cape – The Kimberley taxi industry is navigating renewed financial pressure following the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources’ announcement of June fuel price adjustments. Effective this week, petrol prices have risen by R1.43 per litre, while diesel prices have decreased marginally by between R2.62 and R3.25 per litre, depending on the grade.
Local taxi operators, serving as spokespersons for the sector, report that the petrol increase is straining daily operations. Many drivers indicate they now refuel multiple times per day to maintain their routes, a shift from previous patterns.
One taxi driver spokesperson described the added logistical burden: “Since the petrol is up, I have to fill up twice because I’m going to the schools now. I drive school children and then come back at 4:00 to drive again. So it is a problem compared to before. Before I was only filling up once.”
A second taxi driver spokesperson highlighted the operational constraints caused by elevated costs: “It affects us too much. Like we can’t even really work because petrol prices are too high during the day. We can’t even drive three or four loads. We have to put petrol every now and then because of too much prices.”
For those operating diesel-powered vehicles, the slight price reduction offers measured optimism but limited immediate impact. A female diesel user spokesperson reflected: “I think every little bit makes a difference. And if it should come down in the months to come, we would then feel the difference. But for now, I suppose it won’t make much of a difference. But every little bit helps.”
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources confirmed the June adjustments, noting the divergent trends for petrol and diesel. Industry spokespersons maintain that while the diesel decrease is welcome, sustained high fuel costs continue to challenge the economic sustainability of transport services across Kimberley. Drivers emphasize that repeated refuelling and reduced trip capacity directly affect their livelihoods and service reliability.