The increase in the price of a liter of diesel, which rose 48 percent this Tuesday, from 135 kwanzas to 200 kwanzas, is the topic of the day, especially at gas stations, with citizens anticipating difficult days ahead.
At the Rádio Nacional de Angola gas station, in the center of Luanda, the new prices have already been posted, but many consumers say they are surprised by the measure, which came into effect at midnight, with the prospect of worsening the "already difficult" situation of citizens, who use taxis (private transport with nine seats, also known as candongueiros or 'blue and white') to get around.
Taxi drivers are already talking about the increase in taxi fares, which currently vary between 150 kwanzas and 200 kwanzas, depending on the distance, as an alternative to face current fuel prices, diesel 200 kwanzas and gasoline 300 kwanzas, complaining about doubling the daily expenses.
"The price is skyrocketing, we, previously with 2700 kwanzas, had 20 liters, now we find 20 liters worth 4000 kwanzas, this is bad, you have to look at this situation, it will create a lot of inconvenience in our work and also for passengers", said Pedro Capitão Paulo to Lusa.
Capitão Paulo, a taxi driver for 10 years and who went to the Atlético Gas Station, Avenida Deolinda Rodrigues, to fill up his "blue and white" diesel, wants to raise the fare "to meet fuel price expectations".
"Because we are accountable to the bosses, now at this price of 4000 kwanzas [for 20 liters], we are accountable daily for 25,000 kwanzas, it is very complicated", he lamented.
Aboard a diesel vehicle is also taxi driver Vitorino Lourenço, at the RNA gas station, who expressed surprise at the new price of diesel, believing in "changes" in the price of taxi fares.
Having been on the road for 10 years, Vitorino acknowledged that from now on he will have to make new expenses to fuel the vehicle and calls for a position from the taxi drivers' association as he is faced with a "complicated" measure.
Moisés Katiavala Marcelino, who ran to Atlético's pumps this Tuesday in search of diesel, agrees, remembering that the associations of these professionals previously reacted to the removal of state subsidies for gasoline last year.
After filling up the vehicle, the taxi driver with 15 years of experience said that he spent 6000 kwanzas every day to fill the tank, amounts that, he believes, will double, asking for a rise in wages to "balance" the increase in fuel prices.
"It would be better if the rise in fuel prices were accompanied by a rise in wages, that's what's cool", he said.
Osvaldo Paulo, a motorcycle taxi driver for more than five years, told Lusa that the country is going through difficult times and that the situation is likely to get worse: "In this context, with the rise in the price of diesel, the price of the ride could also rise of the taxi, because if diesel fuel didn't go up, things wouldn't go up either (...)", he highlighted at the exit of the RNA fuel pumps, where the statement reporting the increases is also posted.
Taxi drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers and other motorists normally flock to fuel stations, which do not register queues and have signs with the new price per liter of diesel.
The price of other products, under a fixed price regime, namely gasoline, illuminating oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), remains unchanged.
The Government decided to gradually adjust petroleum products to market levels until 2025, starting the process with the change in the price of gasoline in June 2023.
