Press Releases
The Automobile Association (AA) advocates for consumer rights. It also provides useful information to consumers on all aspects of mobility and road use. Read our articles below for more information.
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Dealing with flash floods
Although flash floods are rare, when they occur, they can wreak havoc. Yesterday’s floods again show how quickly a torrent can occur, and the extreme dangers it holds. We urge all motorists caught up in floods to follow some basic rules to negotiate the safest route out of these situations. The most important factor in dealing with floods is trying to avoid them in the first place. The South...
Rand offsets fuel price gains
Softer international petrol prices have been offset by a declining Rand since the start of October, while diesel and illuminating paraffin prices were slightly up, leaving them with no protection against Rand weakness. This is according to the unaudited mid-month fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund. The landed price of petrol has dropped by almost 20 cents a litre since the start...
Safety features still lacking on entry-level vehicles
The Automobile Association (AA) today released its second annual Entry-Level Vehicle Safety Report that assess the safety features on entry-level vehicles. The report considered the safety features of 25 vehicles available in South Africa currently priced under R160 000. This is R10 000 (6.7%) more than the vehicles considered last year to account for an increase in inflation. According to...
Mixed picture as fuel set to rise
Across-the-board losses from the exchange rate are set to hit fuel consumers at the end of October The landed price of petrol actually dropped by around 18 cents a litre in October, while the landed price of diesel showed a slight increase of five cents. But, the Rand slipped around 22 cents to the US dollar, meaning all grades of fuel will be more expensive in November. Petrol will rise a...
Ready for the holiday season?
October is a pivotal point of the year for many establishments. Make sure you are ready to cope with the rush as the year hurdles to a close by using our tips to get started early on your countdown. Remember that guests need to be able to find you so fine-tune the directions to your establishment. Get the festive feeling started by being well organised about staff leave and overtime. And when...
5 ways to get ready for the big time
Accommodation and other travel establishments are split between two different seasons of travel among visitors. For those whose businesses turn quiet in December, there is often a flurry ahead of this time as business travelers and conferences squeeze in meetings and events in the final weeks before the schools break up. This often applies particularly to inland areas, especially Gauteng....
On a road to nowhere?
Do you know how a stranger rates the directions you give to your establishment? Would-be visitors can go away from your site for all kinds of reasons, including that they couldn’t make your directions work, simply gave up, and went elsewhere. Make sure your guests find you easily and arrive relaxed and cheerful. This gives you a head start on marketing your establishment as a great place. Some...
Fuel up on oil, Rand roller-coaster – AA
International oil prices have retreated in virtual lockstep with a strengthening Rand, complicating attempts to forecast a month-end fuel price. This is according to the Automobile Association (AA), which was commenting on unaudited fuel price data released this morning by the Central Energy Fund (CEF). "After a sharp rise from the end of March, international petroleum prices have given up...
Visibility campaign reaches more than 25k commuters
More than 25 000 commuters across South Africa have been engaged in the Automobile Association’s (AA) #ISeeYou campaign, aimed at making pedestrians more visible on the country’s roads. The national road safety campaign was launched on 26 June in collaboration with the Federation Internationale de l’ Automobile (FIA), Ford and Michelin. The FIA funding was made possible through its Road Safety...
Action needed to deal with PPU drivers
The crash on the M1 south in Gauteng this morning (SUBS:: 17 August), involving vehicles from the Presidential Protection Unit (PPU), or so-called Blue Light Brigade, is cause for great concern, and again highlights the reckless behaviour of some of these drivers. The Automobile Association (AA) believes this latest incident is a clear enough reason to review the manner in which it operates on...
Be prepared for the predicted cold snap
The South African Weather Service is predicting cold and wet weather, as well as snow in certain parts, in the latter half of the week, starting today (SUBS:: 16 August). The Weather Service says temperatures could plummet to as low as 5 degrees Celsius in parts, with the rain and snow possibly leading to the closure of some mountain passes, and roads, and cause a disruption to traffic. The...
Data predicts hefty fuel jump
Stronger international fuel prices and a gradually weakening Rand are signalling a hefty jump in the price of all fuel types at the end of August. This is the view of the Automobile Association, which is commenting on unaudited mid-month fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund (CEF). "The Rand has weakened an average of 20 cents against the US dollar since the start of...