South African motorists are set for a steep increase in fuel prices from Wednesday, 6 May, after the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources confirmed significant adjustments driven by volatile global oil markets.
The department said petrol will rise by R3.27 per litre, while diesel will increase by a sharper R6.19 per litre, marking one of the biggest monthly jumps in recent memory.
Ongoing instability
The increases come amid ongoing instability in global oil prices, which fluctuated heavily during April due to geopolitical tensions linked to the United States and Iran.
Oil briefly dropped to around $95 per barrel on hopes of a ceasefire agreement, before rebounding above $100 when negotiations collapsed and a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz intensified supply concerns.
Locally, the rand remained relatively stable at around R16.50 to the US dollar for much of the period, but weakened slightly as the US Federal Reserve signalled prolonged higher interest rates amid inflationary pressure linked to global uncertainty.
Taxes soften, but not enough
Government intervention has provided some relief, with the fuel tax reduction extended for another month.
The fuel levy remains reduced by R3.00 per litre for petrol, while diesel continues to benefit from a full levy reduction of 93 cents per litre.
However, this relief has been largely offset by a R1.23 slate levy adjustment, which has added additional pressure to already rising fuel costs.
What it means for motorists
Despite the tax support measures, the net effect is a sharp increase at the pump, with diesel users bearing the brunt of the hike.
The increases are expected to filter through to transport, logistics, and food prices in the coming weeks, raising concerns about broader inflationary pressure.
For consumers, May brings little relief on the fuel front – and another reminder of how quickly global conflict and currency swings can translate into local pain at the pump.
| FUEL | PRICE CHANGE |
| Petrol 93 | increase of 327 cents |
| Petrol 95 | increase of 327 cents |
| Diesel 0.05% | increase of 619 cents |
| Diesel 0.005% | increase of 619 cents |
| Illuminating Paraffin | increase of 422 cents |
FUEL PRICE IN SOUTH AFRICA IMPACTED BY TWO MAIN FACTORS:
1. The international price of petroleum products, driven mainly by oil prices
2. The rand/dollar exchange rate used in the purchase of these products
Oil price
At the time of publishing the brent crude oil price is $109.78 a barrel.
Exchange rate
At the time of publishing the rand/dollar exchange rate is R16.63/$.
May 2026 petrol and diesel prices (Inland and Coastal):
| INLAND | April | May |
| Petrol 93 | R23.25 | R26.52 |
| Petrol 95 | R23.36 | R26.63 |
| Diesel 0.05% | R25.90 | R32.09 |
| Diesel 0.005% | R26.11 | R32.30 |
| Illuminating Paraffin | R24.21 | R28.43 |
| COASTAL | April | May |
| Petrol 93 | R22.46 | R25.73 |
| Petrol 95 | R22.49 | R25.76 |
| Diesel 0.05% | R25.03 | R31.22 |
| Diesel 0.005% | R25.35 | R31.54 |
| Illuminating Paraffin | R23.16 | R27.38 |
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