On 29 November 2025, the South African Revenue Service SARS drew attention to the inaccurate article published on News24 titled East London airport down to one days jet fuel amid SARS licensing crisis . The article, viewed objectively, seeks to blame SARS for delays in licensing jet fuel storage facilities in Durban and East London.
There is no licensing crisis at SARS. On 14 October 2024, the SARS Commissioner, in an effort to avert fuel shortages at all airports, granted special permission for the importation of aviation and illuminating kerosene from 21 October 2024 until 20 October 2025. The special permission was granted to address the shift in the fuel industry, in which the country has now become an importer of aviation and illuminating kerosene, as local manufacturing has declined significantly.
After the above undertaking and almost one year later, only three entities applied for fuel storage licensing. In the middle of this year, this dispensation was further extended to ensure the security of supply is not interrupted. Again, only the three original licensees renewed their licences.
