Massive petrol price hike this October, and the taxman coming after a new motoring group in South Africa

Afriforum has voiced its concerns about the proposed amendments to the National Road Traffic Regulations, arguing that they do not go far enough.

The government is moving to extend the validity period of driver’s licences from 5 to 10 years; however, the extension only applies to code A and B licences.

The civil action group argued that the extension should also apply to commercial C and E licences, saying that the lower validity period will discourage younger motorists from applying for these cards.

Oil prices dropped following signs that supply disruptions in the Middle East are set to ease with a key pipeline being restored.

Brent Crude fell 2.7% to $106 per barrel on Wednesday when Saudi Arabia announced it plans to return half the capacity of its damaged East-West pipeline within days, and restore full operations within six weeks.

US President Donald Trump has been given new powers to impose tariffs on countries buying Russian petroleum products, including China and India.

Ukrainian drones have been attacking Russian refineries for months, prompting Moscow to ban most diesel exports.

5 important things

R2.5 per litre blow for petrol prices in South Africa: New data from the Central Energy Fund shows South Africa is on track for massive fuel price increases in October. This is due to the higher global oil prices brought about by the ongoing war in the Middle East. [TopAuto]

Government goes silent on R14 per litre petrol: The government has remained quiet about its plans to drastically cut South Africa’s fuel prices. There are also serious concerns that this is not possible anymore given that petrol is heading towards R30 per litre this October. [BusinessTech]

Taxman hunting Uber and Bolt drivers in South Africa: SARS has identified e-hailing drivers as a priority sector in its clampdown on the informal economy. The revenue service is targeting transaction data to identify potentially unregistered and non-compliant operators. [MyBroadband].

Chery’s new car brand to begin deliveries this week: Chery Jaguar Land Rover’s new brand, Freelander, will begin deliveries in China on 19 September. Prices start at 289,900 yuan (R700,000). [CarNewsChina].

McLaren to open new car factory: Supercar brand McLaren will open a new factory in the United Kingdom to produce its first SUV. The plant will create 1,000 new jobs by 2032 and represents a £500 million investment. [Bloomberg].