Just when I think government has every glorious reason under the sun to up the petrol price - the recent Transnet strike, the monster influx of tourists we intend to make a mint from, the extended school holidays - the bunch down at the minerals and energy department decide to drop fuel costs instead. This is obviously great news for all of us, so please excuse me for looking this particular gift horse in the chompers. Sure, the upcoming cup is a perfect opportunity to plaster on that hospitable smile and make things cheaper for our guests. Does that mean we'll be looking at a further drop next month, or will the 'powers that be' play it safe and keep the price where it is for another month? But what happens when the game is over and all the foreigners fly home? With an estimated 6 to 7 billion rand loss to the economy during the strike, and the fuel industry being one of the major affected players, it would be perfectly understandable to attempt to recoup these losses by any means. Fuel inflation, food inflation... the question is not so much 'how' but 'when'? We'll just have to wait and see.

Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor
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