Here’s what you will pay for petrol at the pumps from TODAY

South Africa’s motorists are facing higher fuel costs from Wednesday after the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ latest adjustments officially took effect at midnight on Tuesday, 2 December.

The increases affect both petrol and diesel, with the latter taking the bigger hit.

The fuel hikes follow a month of steady but elevated global oil prices and a largely stable rand, resulting in an under-recovery that pushed December’s fuel price calculation into negative territory.

Global oil trends kept markets on edge

Throughout November, Brent crude traded in a relatively narrow band at around $63 a barrel.

The market remained sensitive to geopolitical developments as the United States continued pressuring Russia to end its war in Ukraine.

Analysts noted that the possibility of tighter sanctions – or a partial easing if peace talks progressed – introduced uncertainty, even as medium-term forecasts continued to warn of a likely global oversupply.

Rand holds firm despite global pressures

The rand showed notable resilience, hovering close to R17.30 to the US dollar for most of the month.

A string of positive economic signals helped support the currency, including a credible national budget, an improved sovereign credit rating, and a shift toward stronger investor confidence.

These factors helped offset the impact of a stronger dollar, but were not enough to counterbalance global oil trends.

Here are the new fuel prices from today

From midnight on Tuesday, the following increases took effect:

• Petrol (all grades): +29 cents per litre
• Diesel: +65 to 82 cents per litre

The steeper diesel adjustment is expected to place added strain on transport, freight, agriculture, and other diesel-dependent industries, particularly as the country enters the busy festive season.

Pressure on consumers and sectors ahead of holidays

With holiday travel, summer demand, and the annual surge in logistics activity already underway, industry analysts warn that the diesel increase could ripple through supply chains, impacting food prices, shipping costs, and passenger transport.

Petrol users will feel a smaller increase, but households already squeezed by the cost of living will nevertheless feel the cumulative pressure heading into December.

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 $62.51 a barrel.

Exchange rate

At the time of publishing the rand/dollar exchange rate is R17.09/$.

The new December 2025 petrol and diesel prices (Inland and Coastal):