Fuel prices rise on Wednesday; government announces temporary relief
Motorists will face significant fuel price increases from Wednesday, as global tension and local economic factors combine to push costs higher, Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday.
Petrol will rise by R3.06 a litre for both 93 and 95 Octane grades, while diesel will climb by R7.37/litre for the 0.05% sulphur grade and R7.51/litre for the 0.005% grade.
Illuminating paraffin will increase by R11.67/litre and the maximum retail price of LP Gas imported through Saldanha Bay will rise by R1.08/kg, or R1.23 in the Western Cape.
The increases follow a sharp rise in Brent Crude oil prices, from $69.08 to $93.67 a barrel, driven by the US-Iran conflict, which has disrupted supply through the Strait of Hormuz.
International petroleum product prices have mirrored the trend, while the rand weakened against the US dollar, averaging 16.64 ZAR/USD during the review period. The factors contributed to higher additions to the basic fuel prices of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin by R5.26, R9.49 and R10.80 a litre, respectively.
“The prices of propane and butane remained the same during the period under review due to lower demand following the seasonal shift to warmer weather in the Northern Hemisphere. However, shipping costs were higher due to the conflict in the Middle East,” Mantashe said.
To soften the blow for households and businesses, Mantashe and his finance counterpart, Enoch Godongwana, announced a temporary reduction in the general fuel levy for a month.
From 1 April to 5 May, the levy on petrol will drop from R4.10/litre to R1.10/litre and on diesel from R3.93/litre to R0.93/litre, while other levies, including the Road Accident Fund and Carbon Fuel Levy, remain unchanged.
The measure is expected to cost around R6 billion in foregone revenue but is designed to be fiscally neutral, with mechanisms to recoup the funds within the 2026 Budget framework.
The Democratic Alliance had called on the government to prevent petrol prices from rising to R6/litre, arguing that the increase would disproportionately affect households and transport costs, particularly for low-and middle-income South Africans.
The party urged ministers to explore further interventions, including additional subsidies or levy adjustments, to shield consumers from the full impact of international price pressures.
The ministers reassured the public that South Africa’s fuel supply was sufficient to meet national demand.
Reports of shortages in some areas are largely due to distribution challenges and panic buying rather than a lack of national stocks. These are expected to self-correct in the coming days. Motorists and businesses are urged to purchase fuel responsibly.
The government is also reviewing medium-term measures and developing a broader package of support for households and key sectors of the economy, which will be announced in due course. The full fuel price schedule for all 54 Magisterial District Zones will be published on 31 March 2026.
Mantashe noted that the 95 Octane grade remained the price-marker for petrol and that the differential between 95 and 93 Octane grades had been updated for the first Wednesday of the quarter.
Transport costs have also changed, with increases in pipeline and road transport tariffs affecting petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin differently across pricing zones.