Record petrol and diesel prices in October: Here’s what you’ll pay

South African motorists are facing another brutal blow at the pumps, with petrol prices set to rocket from Wednesday.

The record prices are expected to put households under severe pressure and perhaps prompt motorists with petrol-guzzling cars to reconsider more fuel-efficient or electric vehicles.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) announced that 93-octane petrol will increase by R3.12 cents per litre, and 95-octane petrol by R3.33.

The price of diesel with 0.05% (500ppm) sulphur will increase by R2.84 per litre, while 0.005% (50ppm) sulphur will go up by R3.24 per litre.

Meanwhile, illuminating paraffin will cost R3.58 more per litre, while LP gas will increase by 42c per kilogramme countrywide and by 48c per kg in the Western Cape.

When the fuel price adjustment kicks in, 93 unleaded petrol will cost R29.88 per litre, while 95 unleaded petrol will be R30.25 per litre.

The wholesale price of 0.05% (500ppm) diesel will increase to R31.95 per litre, and 0.005% (50ppm) will cost R33.29 per litre.

DMRE spokesperson Lerato Ntsoko stated that several factors, including international petroleum product prices and the rand-dollar (United States dollar) exchange rate, contributed to the increase in petrol and diesel prices.

Ntsoko said the average Brent Crude oil price increased from 87.89 US Dollars (USD) to 101 USD during the period under review.

“The increase is due to the continued US/Iran tensions, uncertainty regarding the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, higher shipping costs and decreasing inventories.

“The average international product prices of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin increased due to supply shortages caused by lower global inventories of products,” Ntsoko said.

Ntsoko said the Rand appreciated slightly on average against the US Dollar (from 16.213 to 16.212 Rand per USD) during the period under review, when compared to the previous one.

“This led to lower contributions to the Basic Fuel Prices of petrol, diesel and Illuminating Paraffin by 0.17 c/l, 0.22 c/l and 0.21 c/l respectively.”

Ntsoko said the cumulative slate amounted to a negative balance of R10.45 billion for petrol and diesel at the end of August 2026.

“In line with the provisions of the Self-Adjusting Slate Levy Mechanism, the slate levy of 87.66 c/l will be implemented in the price structures of petrol and diesel with effect from 2 September 2026. The Slate Levy has increased by 4.38 c/l from 83.28 to 87.66 c/l.”

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