Johannesburg: Fuel prices have spiralled out of control in the past year, but motorists can expect a bit of relief from Wednesday, August 3.
The price of both grades of petrol will decrease by R1.32 a litre, bringing the price of 95 Unleaded down to R24.77 at the coast and R25.42 in the inland regions, where 93 Unleaded will cost R24.99. 50ppm diesel will go down by 91 cents a litre, while the dirtier 500ppm will see a reduction of 88 cents.
But what does this mean for your cost per tank? If you own a small hatchback, like a Kia Picanto, and put 30 litres into its 35-litre tank, you’re looking at R743.10 at the coast and R749.70 inland, which is a saving of R39.60. A 35-litre refuel for a Volkswagen Polo will cost R866.95 (coast) and R874.65 (inland), a decrease of R46.20. Putting 50 litres into a mid-size car like a Toyota Corolla will be R1 238.50 (coast) and R1 249.50 (inland), which is R66 less than before.
Below is the estimated refuel cost for some of South Africa’s popular cars and SUVs:
For those driving diesel bakkies and SUVs with 80-litre tanks, a 75-litre refuel will save you R68.25. The cost of a tank, however, will differ, depending on the outlet you visit as diesel is deregulated.
South African fuel prices have risen at an alarming rate in recent times, with the price of 95 Unleaded petrol at the coast having risen by R7.19 in the past year alone and R10.30 since August 2020. Diesel, meanwhile, has increased by R10.44 in two years. Click here to see how fuel prices have changed in the past decade.
Were it not for the full reinstatement of the temporary fuel levy reduction that was introduced in April, South Africans would have saved a further 75 cents at the pumps. A weaker rand also dampened what could have been a decrease of more than R2 a litre.
However, early indications show that September could see another significant decrease, with early data showing an over-recover of more than R3 a litre, although it is too early to predict next month’s fuel prices with any degree of certainty. For a decrease of that magnitude, international oil prices would need to remain at their current level or lower between now and month-end.