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Paraffin being filled in a bottle.
The rising fuel and paraffin prices make it increasingly difficult for many residents in informal settlements and low-income earners to keep warm.
This week saw temperatures drop significantly, bringing cold and wet weather conditions across the country.
In Gauteng, residents of Chicken Farm informal settlement in Soweto say they are battling to keep warm.
Chicken Farm resident, Siviwe Mabhija, says the rising cost of paraffin is making it increasingly difficult to cope with the cold.
Mabhija explained that what once cost around eight rand now sells for as much as fifteen, placing further strain on already stretched household budgets. With fuel prices expected to increase again, he called on the government to intervene, urging an increase in the SASSA Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to help vulnerable households cope with rising living costs.
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“The government has to pull up its socks and consider that not all people are privileged in such situations. There are people who do not work here who have nothing at all. For instance, I use the SASSA SRD R370 to survive, so if the fuel prices increase again, that means I am only living to buy paraffin; I cannot buy food and other necessities. So if the government increases the fuel prices, the standard of living of underprivileged residents must also increase. Provide electricity or give out food parcels because we cannot afford”, he says.
Another resident, Thamsanqa Ndlela, believes global factors, including the Russia-Ukraine war, are still affecting local livelihoods, saying many who rely on recycling are struggling as prices fluctuate and income becomes increasingly unstable.
“It affects me a lot because many of us in this area use recycling to make ends meet. The recycling prices have increased due to the Russia/Ukraine war. This makes us not be able to afford paraffin prices, which leads us to using wood to start a fire, which makes us vulnerable to diseases, and we end up hurting ourselves”.
A spaza shop owner, Elisa Manganyi, who has been selling paraffin for over 20 years, says her business has declined significantly in recent years, adding that she fears conditions will worsen as another steep price increase took effect on Wednesday.
“This paraffin price increase has affected me a lot because I cannot afford to buy the litres I used to buy; now I buy like 10 or 15 litres to sell. My business has taken a knock because of this paraffin issue, because the money I should be using to buy stock for the spaza business, I now use it to stock up on paraffin.”
Meanwhile, City of Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi is urging motorists to drive cautiously in wet conditions and has warned informal settlement residents to use paraffin safely, especially around children.
“Residents in our low-lying areas who normally, you know, cross river streams while they’re conducting their daily activities, we are pleading with them to ensure that they avoid crossing those areas…paraffin can be dangerous to young kids if they consume it, so it’s very important to store it in portable bottles which young kids cannot be able to open, and of course to ensure it’s stored in a safer place. When using devices like paraffin stoves, kids are not around because most of the time, if kids are playing around and that stove falls, it can cause fire incidents at home.”
As the cold front sets in, vulnerable communities are left to navigate rising costs and harsh conditions, with many hoping for urgent support to weather the storm. – Reporting by Zine Buthelezi
Related video | Paraffin price hike piles pressure on struggling families
