Paraffin price hike leaves grandmother in darkness

The grandmother, who lives with two of her grandchildren at the Diphiring lands, told Mmegi in an interview that the recent hike in fuel prices has hit her below the belt.   Babedi, who uses illuminating paraffin for lighting purposes, said that when she is at the lands she buys paraffin from a nearby tuck-shop at P6 per litre, but that now she has to fork out P11 to buy the litre. Babedi, who supplements her income by selling traditional grass brooms, said her earnings are so meagre that sometimes she is turned away because she cannot afford to buy the amount she wants. Along with other fuels, paraffin prices were recently hiked because of international increases in crude oil prices, a statement from the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources said.  Paraffin was increased by 40t per litre. 

A paraffin user, who wished to be known only as Thebeetsile, said despite the increase in price, he has not changed his use of the fuel.