It's no joke: April 1 electricity, fuel hikes slated by DA's Mmusi Maimane

DA leader Mmusi Mayimane asked at the DA #KeepTheLightsOn march in Pretoria on Friday why a billionaire president would need to accept a R500,000 donation for his presidential election campaign.
Image: DA, via Twitter

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says April 1 will be a dark Monday for South Africans because of the electricity price hike.

Addressing scores of DA supporters outside the Union Buildings on Friday, Maimane said the expected petrol price hike will make matters worse for South Africans.

He was the main speaker for the march which was part of the DA’s national day of action in response to load-shedding by Eskom.

“Monday is coming, it’s going to be a dark Monday because they are going to add 10% to electricity. Electricity is expensive already, when you buy electricity for R100 you get 50 units,” said Maimane.

He said the fuel price would also go up on Wednesday.

“It means the price of bread will go up, taxi fares will go up. How are we going to survive in South Africa?”

Maimane then slammed the ANC government and President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying he was no different to former president Jacob Zuma for receiving a R500,000 donation for his presidential campaign from Bosasa.

He questioned why “a billionaire president” was willing to accept R500,000 from Bosasa.

Ramaphosa said in February the campaign donation money would be returned to Bosasa.

Then this week, former Bosasa auditor Peet Venter disclosed to the state capture commission that R500,000 was allegedly paid by the company into an account held by Ramaphosa’s son Andile.

“Why is Andile’s father repeating the same thing as Duduzane’s father (Zuma)? … there is no new dawn,” said Maimane.