Press Releases

Crumbling local and provincial infrastructure is contributing to South Africa’s poor road safety levels and must be addressed urgently if meaningful strides to improve the country’s horrendous road safety record are to be made.

The massive fuel increases announced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) today will have a sharp and immediate effect on the poor, and a long-term impact on inflation. Commenting on the increases, the Automobile Association (AA) says the increases are above expectations, and will hurt all South Africans.

In a landmark win for consumers, the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwane, today heeded calls by the Automobile Association (AA) not to increase the rate of fuel levies, and at the same time announced a “review of all aspects of the fuel price” subsequent to prolonged campaigns and a petition by the AA calling into question perpetual fuel hikes.

Massive fuel hikes well above R1/l are on the cards for all grades of fuel going into March. This is according to the Automobile Association (AA) which was commenting on fuel price data released today by the Central Energy Fund (CEF).

“Our economy is closely linked to the fuel price; it is a major input cost in the manufacturing, retailing and agricultural sectors. We have noted before that a review of the current structure of the fuel price, as well as an audit of all the elements which comprise the fuel price, should be done sooner rather than later. We therefore call on the Minister of Finance to initiate such a review during his Budget Speech on 23 February,” says the AA.

The Automobile Association (AA) is encouraged that the driving licence production machine is again operational and that efforts are underway to clear the massive backlogs in the delivery of driving licences to motorists in the country. However, the Association remains concerned about the capacity of the renewal system to service the 2.1 million motorists who must renew their licences before the end of March and believes that more time is needed to resolve the current backlogs.

Ominous oil price data is the main cause of increased fuel prices. This is according to the Automobile Association (AA), which was commenting on the latest price hikes for February announced by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

The 14 percent increase in the number of road fatalities during the 2021/2022 festive season compared to the 2020/2021 festive season is shocking and worrying and points to the need for urgent intervention and not promises of change. The Automobile Association (AA) says the horrific figures, released by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula today (SUBS:: 18 Jan 2022) will not be dealt with effectively unless real, effective amendments are made to current road safety practices.

The Automobile Association (AA) welcomes the judgment handed down by the Pretoria High Court declaring that the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO), and its Amendments, are unconstitutional.

The court found that “the AARTO and Amendment Acts unlawfully intrude upon the exclusive executive and legislative competence of the local and provincial governments respectively and as such, the two Acts are unconstitutional.”

2022 kicks off with some good news for fuel users, with across-the-board reductions in prices. This is according to the Automobile Association (AA), which was commenting on price movements announced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) late yesterday evening.

The high remuneration of executives at State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) remains a concern and should be the focus of a Parliamentary inquiry in 2022. The Automobile Association (AA) says in specifically three entities it has reviewed, remuneration of executives does not correlate with set targets, nor is it in line with private sector remuneration.

Global NCAP and the Automobile Association of South Africa launch a new round of #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test results today with the welcome support of the FIA Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies.