South Africa’s proposed fuel tax increase, set to take effect on 4 June 2025, has hit a roadblock as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) lodged an urgent legal challenge in the Western Cape High Court. The political party seeks to halt the upcoming hike in the General Fuel Levy (GFL), arguing that the proper parliamentary process has not been completed
Details of the Proposed Fuel Levy Increase
The contentious levy hike was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana during his National Budget Speech in May 2025. The increase, which would raise the GFL by 16 cents per litre for petrol and 15 cents per litre for diesel, is the first of its kind in three years. The proposed rise comes in place of a scrapped value-added tax (VAT) hike and is framed as an inflation-aligned adjustment aimed at plugging fiscal gaps.
Under the planned adjustment, the GFL on petrol will rise from R3.96 to R4.12 per litre, while diesel will increase to R3.97 per litre. This would mean nearly 20% of the retail fuel price will stem from just one tax, prompting strong backlash from both political actors and civil society.
EFF Questions Legality and Parliamentary Process
The EFF contends that Finance Minister Godongwana lacks the authority to impose tax increases without full parliamentary approval. The party emphasized that the fuel levy proposal is still undergoing public hearings before Parliament’s finance standing committee and cannot be enacted before the process concludes.
Critics argue the timing is problematic. With the levy increase scheduled for early June, there appears to be insufficient time to complete the legislative procedures. The EFF hopes the court will intervene to delay the implementation until all democratic processes are fulfilled.
Outa Warns of Growing Tax Burden
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) acknowledged the hike as foreseeable, given that the fuel levy has remained unchanged since 2021 as part of pandemic-era consumer relief measures. Temporary reductions were even implemented in 2022, cutting the levy by as much as R1.50 per litre.
However, Outa expressed concern over the state’s increasing dependence on fuel taxes and other indirect levies to bridge budget deficits. Stefanie Fick, Outa’s executive director for accountability, criticized the lack of transparency in how the GFL is used. “The general fuel levy is not ring-fenced for transport-related infrastructure. This opens the door to potential misuse,” she said.
Calls for Structural Reform Over Repeated Tax Increases
Fick argued that the government should shift focus from recurrent tax increases toward long-term fiscal reform and accountability. “Instead of placing more burden on taxpayers, the state must implement structural changes to improve efficiency and restore public trust.”
While the GFL hike may be seen by Treasury as a necessary step amid a shrinking tax base and rising budgetary needs, its implementation now faces legal and political headwinds. The court’s ruling in the EFF’s application could determine whether South Africans see higher fuel prices next week—or whether the levy adjustment will be put on hold pending further legislative scrutiny.
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