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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Some improvements on entry-level safety – but more must be done
The 2019 Automobile Association (AA) Entry-Level Vehicle Safety Report that assesses safety features on entry-level vehicles shows there have been improvements to the safety of entry-level vehicles, but that more can and must be done in this market. This is the third instalment of this report. The 2019 report considered the safety features of 27 vehicles available in South Africa currently...
Petrol up, diesel down, as oil, Rand do battle
While the Rand has won ground against the US dollar in July, international oil prices have increased, offsetting the Rand's gains. This is according to the unaudited monthly fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund. The Rand has progressively appreciated against the US dollar since 1 July, dipping below the R14 to the dollar mark. However, international oil prices, which pulled back...
End-of-year travel plans should start now
The end of the year may still be six months away but if you are going to be travelling anywhere – either locally or abroad – you should start your planning now. This is the advice of the Automobile Association’s (AA) Travel Department. “Six months may sound like a long time but, in reality, it will go past quickly. If you discover in October or November that some of your preparations are behind...
New Year’s cheer as fuel price set to drop
2019 will kick off with good news for motorists according to the unaudited month-end fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund, showing a substantial drop across the board. Petrol is showing a reduction of around R1.00 a litre, with diesel down by R1.30 and illuminating paraffin dropping by R1.22. Should this decrease materialise, it will amount to a more than R2 decrease in the fuel...
Fuel price set for further drops
Further reductions in the fuel price may be on the horizon at the end of January according to the unaudited mid-month fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund. Although the international price of crude oil has ticked up since its low of 1 January, the overall price is still lower than December's average, and this reflects in the current data. In addition, the Rand/US dollar exchange...
Another year of awful festive road death fatalities
The grim festive season road fatality statistics are a national disaster and a sad indictment of the total disregard road users have for their own and other peoples’ lives on our country’s roads. Preliminary statistics of the festive season road deaths released by Transport Minister Blade Nzimande yesterday (16 January 2019) show that 1 612 people died on South African roads between 1 December...
Mixed fuel picture for February
Petrol up, diesel down in February. This is according to the unaudited month-end fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund. International oil prices have reached a slightly higher plateau after climbing in the first half of January. Over the same period, the Rand has firmed gradually against the US dollar. It began the month at nearly R14.50 to the dollar and is current hovering around...
Child restraints are not a luxury, they’re a necessity
Older children who have outgrown their child restraint seats, but who are still too small for adult-sized seatbelts in vehicles, still need to be properly secured while travelling, although recent research suggests this isn’t happening. Findings from the Automobile Association’s (AA) Child Safety Seat Survey – conducted last year – also highlight that a quarter of motorists admit to not...
Fuel price reversal as oil strengthens
Recent reductions in the fuel price have been dealt a blow by a steady increase in international petroleum prices during the first half of February. This is according to the unaudited mid-month fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund. Oil traded within a very tight band for most of January, but we have seen a steady uptick since February began. This trend has accelerated in the last...
Increases to fuel levies will hurt the poor and increase burden on all consumers
We are relieved that Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni did not increase fuel levies above inflation – as has been the case in previous years – despite pre-Budget Speech speculation that this may have happened. Announced in today’s Budget Speech (SUBS: 20 FEB), any changes to the fuel levies will be implemented along with any fuel price adjustments on 3 April, the first Wednesday of April 2019....
Increases abound for embattled consumers
Toll fees across South Africa will increase again on 1 March, adding yet more financial pain to already embattled consumers. These increases will coincide with a likely increase to fuel prices in March, which, given the current data, look set to be significant. These increases will apply country-wide to all tolled roads. With the increase to fuel levies which comes into effect in April, the...
Stronger oil brings fuel price woe
Rising international petroleum prices have resulted in South Africans facing substantially higher fuel prices in March. This is according to the unaudited month-end fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund. The price of petrol is predicted to increase by around 73 cents a litre, diesel by 92 cents and illuminating paraffin by 74 cents. The Rand/US dollar exchange rate has worked...
