Transport costs keeping millions away from work, education
Nearly one in seven South Africans has missed work or studies because transport is unaffordable, with rising fuel costs deepening barriers to jobs and education.
Nearly one in seven South Africans has missed work, school or university because they could not afford transport.
This is according to a new study by market research company Ipsos.
The study showed that the age group 25 to 34 reported the highest incidence of transport-related absenteeism at 23%.
The Free State recorded the highest proportion at 20%, followed by the Northern Cape and Gauteng.
Ipsos' Natalie Otte said the findings highlighted transport affordability as an often-overlooked barrier to education and employment mobility in South Africa.
“ When fuel prices, taxi fares, bus fares, and other transport costs rise, households have very limited room to adjust their spending. For households with very limited to no income, transport costs can become a barrier to accessing exactly the opportunities that could improve their circumstances.
“It creates a very difficult cycle that many South Africans are trying to navigate,” Otte added.
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Fuel prices rose sharply in September, with petrol up R1.34 per litre and diesel up to R3.15 per litre amid global supply pressures.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources said the increases came amid US-Iran tensions, uncertainty over oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and supply shortages linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
At the same time, KPMG South Africa warned that a stronger rand cannot offset the global fuel price surge in September.
Economist Frank Blackmore said while the rand strengthened from R16.90 to just R16.00 against the dollar, global fuel prices rose sharply.
“The big issue in fuel prices is the story around reduced refining capacity, specifically from Russia at this point, meaning that prices for refined products have gone up a lot more than the price for oil. And therefore, we feel these fluctuations month to month in our inflation.”
