Bad news about petrol prices, car owners fined for offences they didn’t commit, and a new Chinese car brand in South Africa

These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week.

Car owners are getting fined for offences they didn’t commit

South Africans are being charged traffic fines for offences they did not commit as a result of criminals cloning licence plates.

Unfortunately, it’s up to the legitimate owner of the vehicle to prove their innocence and have the fines dropped.

Stefanie Fick, the executive director of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s accountability division, has advised South Africans to address these matters as soon as possible should they receive a false fine.

Bad news about petrol prices in South Africa

South Africa is looking at a fuel price hike this December.

According to the latest data from the Central Energy Fund, the price of both petrol and diesel is set to go up next week.

Petrol will go up by approximately 19c per litre, while diesel users will face a larger hike of around 89c per litre.

Warning for people booking flights in South Africa

FlySafair has issued a warning to consumers to be vigilant when booking flights ahead of Black Friday, as scammers are taking advantage of the scramble to find holiday travel deals.

The air carrier explained that criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods to exploit individuals who are trying to make the most of the promotional savings, including AI-generated videos, and fake emails, SMSs, and QR codes.

FlySafair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kirby Gordon, explained that Black Friday creates the perfect environment for scams to thrive thanks to time pressure, irresistible discounts, and high transaction volumes.

Good news for motorists renewing their driver’s licence card in South Africa

The South African backlog of driving licence cards has reached a new milestone, with nearly 80% of the accumulated backlog now cleared.

The issue began when the country’s only licence card printer broke down in February, resulting in a backlog that peaked at nearly 750,000 renewals.

The Department has since entered a memorandum of understanding with the Government Printing Works to find an interim solution.

New Chinese car brand goes on sale in South Africa

Dongfeng has officially launched in South Africa.

The Chinese automaker has opened its first dealership in Pretoria with its first car, the Box.

The Dongfeng Box is an electric hatchback that starts at R459,000, making it the second cheapest electric vehicle in the country.