People line up at a petrol station in Sukoharjo, Indonesia, on March 26. Several Asian countries to take steps to anticipate a potential energy crisis. The Indonesian government is also reviewing plans to implement work-from-home arrangements for employees one day a week to reduce fuel consumption.
Agoes Rudianto/Anadolu via Getty Images
While other countries that depend on fuel imports have embraced work-from-home policies in an effort to deal with rocketing prices and supply shortages, the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) has confirmed this is not South Africa’s position.
News24 reported on Wednesday that a director from the department, along with a representative from the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa, mentioned work-from-home as an option to help ease the impact of a sharp price spike from Wednesday.
The latest data from the Central Energy Fund shows that the wholesale diesel price will increase by around R10 a litre and petrol (95 unleaded) by almost R6.
On Thursday, the DPMR said in a statement that the work-from-home remarks were in response to questions and not the official position or policy proposal of the government.
“The response was not presented as a directive, recommendation, or policy intervention, but rather as part of a broader discussion during the workshop.”
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand have all introduced new rules to allow public servants to work from home, and governments there have encouraged the private sector to do the same.
In the Philippines, some government departments now force employees to work from home at least one day a week.
Sri Lanka has shortened working weeks for some government employees to four days, with most state institutions, including schools and universities, now closed every Wednesday to conserve fuel.
The Indonesian government also plans to adopt a policy that will allow civil servants to work from home for one day a week.
The US-Israel war on Iran has fuelled global fuel-price shocks and growing supply fears, with Brent crude prices above $100 a barrel for almost two weeks.