Diesel users will see another hike at the pumps this August, with an increase ranging from R1.23 to R1.38 per litre as per the latest fuel price adjustments.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) made the announcement on Monday, noting that these changes will come into effect on 5 August.
This latest surge in diesel prices follows a temporary decline in June and July, when prices slipped from record levels. Although global oil prices showed signs of improvement during the review period, July brought another increase after a peace deal in the Middle East stalled.
Read: July fuel prices: Petrol down by R2, diesel down by over R3
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The price of oil fell by as much as 7% on Monday after US President Donald Trump revealed that new negotiations with Iran would start the day after he canceled a planned military strike. This mirrors the fluctuations observed earlier in the year.
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Both grades of petrol will experience a decline of 52 cents; however, prices will remain above the R25-per-litre mark for both inland and coastal regions.
Illuminating paraffin will rise by over R2 per litre at retail (with a R1.52 increase at the wholesale level). In contrast, the maximum retail price for LPGas will decline by R4.41 per kg nationwide and R5.03 per kg in the Western Cape.
The department cites the main reasons for these fuel price adjustments as follows:
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- The average Brent crude oil price dropped from $86.53 to $82.37 during the review period. Renewed tensions between the US and Iran briefly drove oil prices close to $100 per barrel; however, this was tempered by significant decreases from previous months and early this month, attributed to the US-Iran ceasefire agreement and reduced global crude demand.
- While average international product prices of petrol decreased during the review period, diesel and illuminating paraffin prices rose due to supply issues stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, resulting in Russian export restrictions on diesel.
“The situation was worsened by Middle Eastern refineries operating below capacity. These elements led to a reduction in the contributions to the basic fuel prices (BFP) of petrol by 6.08 cents per litre (c/l), alongside increased contributions to the BFP of diesel and illuminating paraffin by 182.62 c/l and 143.32 c/l, respectively,” the DMPR stated.
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- The rand experienced a slight depreciation against the dollar (from R16.34 to R16.46 per dollar) during the review period. This resulted in elevated contributions to the basic fuel prices of petrol, diesel, and illuminating paraffin by 6.37 c/l, 8.14 c/l, and 7.89 c/l, respectively.
- The cumulative slate recorded a negative balance of R7.418 billion for petrol and diesel as of the end of June 2026.
“In line with the self-adjusting slate levy mechanism, the slate levy of 61.38 c/l will be incorporated into the price structures of petrol and diesel effective from 5 August 2026. The slate levy has decreased by 52.56 c/l, moving from 113.94 to 61.38 c/l,” the department concluded.
