BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The anticipated Roads Authority fuel levy will be applied from April 4, 2025 so that the country’s roads can be improved.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy announced that, in accordance with the provisions of the Roads Authority Act, 2023, a Roads Authority Levy of E0.40c per litre would be introduced to the fuel price effective from Friday, 4th April 2025.
According to a statement issued by Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy Principal Secretary Lindiwe Mbingo, This decision was made during the budget speech by Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg .
Mbingo explained in the statement that the primary objective of this levy was to ensure the sustainable maintenance and improvement of the country’s road infrastructure, thereby enhancing transportation efficiency and safety for all road users. The funds collected through this levy would be dedicated to the upkeep, rehabilitation, and development of road networks across the country.
The Ministry advised fuel consumers that the introduction of the levy would not result in a fuel price increase this month, as fuel products had yielded slight over-recoveries.
Finally, the Ministry expressed appreciation for the cooperation of stakeholders, including fuel suppliers, transport operators, and the general public, in supporting this initiative for the greater benefit of the nation.
The issue of the Roads Authority has been a subject of discussion among Members of Parliament (MPs) since 2011.
This means the issue has been discussed by three different Legislatures until now.
Most of the legislators have been arguing that the Roads Authority was what was wanted by Emaswati to improve the state of bad roads around the country.
