R25,000 for a fake Uber at Cape Town Airport, and R6.55 per litre petrol price cut on the cards for South Africa

Petrol and diesel prices are set to go up this November; however, motorists will actually see a small reduction at the pumps thanks to a temporary reduction in fuel taxes.

Data from the Central Energy Fund shows that petrol and diesel are on track for an under-recovery of between R1.33 and R1.35 per litre, respectively.

However, the government recently announced that it would reduce the General Fuel Levy by R1.50 and R3.00 per litre for petrol and diesel, respectively, from 4 November until 1 December 2026.

Since the tax cuts are larger than the fuel adjustments, prices are expected to come down slightly next week.

Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town is preparing to reopen the section of Kloof Road between Kloof Nek Road and Round House Road.

The road was badly damaged by a Level 9 storm in 2023, with sections of tarmac collapsing. It has remained closed to traffic ever since due to the area’s instability.

The City is currently in the final stages of its rehabilitation and hopes to reopen the road in seven weeks.

In other news, Brent Crude oil is trading at around $115 per barrel today as market analysts await the outcome of new talks between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran.

Oil flows from the region have improved, though ships still face significant risks passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Global oil prices have surged almost 90% since the war in Iran began. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to topple Iran’s regime, with US President Donald Trump’s backing.

5 important things

R6.55 petrol price cut on the cards for South Africa: Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana confirmed that the National Treasury’s long-term plan to reduce petrol and diesel prices involves the removal of fuel taxes and levies. This includes the General Fuel Levy, Road Accident Fund levy, Carbon levy, and Slate levy, which add more than R6.55 to every litre. [TopAuto].

R25,000 for a fake Uber at an airport in South Africa: Individuals posing as Uber drivers are scamming unsuspecting visitors at Cape Town International Airport. A contractor alleged that a syndicate of former meter taxi drivers is targeting foreign tourists and charging exorbitant amounts for trips, adding extra digits to turn a R250 fee into a R25,000 fee. [MyBroadband].

Traffic lights on a top South African road have been out for years: 15 traffic lights along Vereeniging Road in Alberton, Ekurhuleni, haven’t been repaired in three years. Gauteng MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, said the R79 million allocated for maintenance and repairs was insufficient due to widespread cable theft and vandalism. [Newsday].

Good news about passport renewals: The Department of Home Affairs is preparing to roll out passport services at bank branches across South Africa, reducing the need for individuals to go to Home Affairs to renew their passports. [BusinessTech].

Audi drops the Four Rings logo to revive sales: Audi is dropping the iconic Four Rings on some of its cars sold in China. While its combustion-engine cars, developed by FAW, will continue to use the logo, its electric cars, made by SAIC, will replace the logo with a new AUDI letter badge. [Bloomberg].