IN THIS modern era of low emissions, electric cars, plug-in hybrids and gas powered buses, is it possible that the regular motor car as we know it has become sinful?It would appear that this could be how Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan sees it. The 30c/litre increase in the fuel levy in Gordhan’s 2016 budget has little relevance to the actual issues surrounding motoring and transport in SA at the moment.Apart from the additional fuel levy for the Road Accident Fund, the rest goes into the general fiscus with no ring-fencing of the cash for improving roads, road safety or creating cleaner fuels.Is it a sin tax, like that on tobacco, alcohol and, this year, sugar-laden drinks? Is the motorist being penalised yet again for having to use a private vehicle to get to work? If this is the case then the subject of a lack of alternatives again comes up. The most likely reason, though, is that the motorist is again being used as a cash cow in order to raise additional revenue for the governme...
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