Petrol, diesel price hikes confirmed for September 2
A 100-litre diesel fill-up will cost around R300 more than in August, reversing the relief motorists saw at the start of the month.
LIMPOPO – South African motorists are facing a steep increase at the pumps from Wednesday, September 2, after the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) confirmed the official fuel price adjustments for September.
| Fuel type | Increase |
| Petrol 93 | R1.34 |
| Petrol 95 | R1.34 |
| Diesel 500ppm | R2.94 |
| Diesel 50ppm | R3.15 |
| Illuminating paraffin (wholesale) | R2.13 |
| LPGAS | R0.69/kg |
Diesel users will be hit hardest. From 00:01 on September 2, diesel 0.05% rises by R2.94 a litre and diesel 0.005% by R3.15 a litre. Petrol 93 and 95 both increase by R1.34 a litre, while wholesale illuminating paraffin rises by R2.13 a litre and LPGAS by 69c a kilogram.
The increases mark a reversal from the start of August, when petrol prices dropped following changes to the Slate Levy. This time, a combination of rising international oil prices, a further 21.9c/l addition to the Slate Levy, and a 4.9c/l adjustment to petrol price structures – linked in part to a forecourt worker wage increase – has pushed prices higher across the board.
The Central Energy Fund (CEF), which tracks the factors behind monthly fuel price adjustments alongside the DMPR, pointed to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran as a key driver, with Brent crude trading at around $90 a barrel at the time of the announcement, up from roughly $80 a barrel at the start of August.
A stronger rand against the dollar during August limited the scale of the increase.
A volatile year at the pumps
September’s increase extends what has been an unusually volatile year for South African fuel prices.
Petrol 93 dropped to R19.99 a litre in February – its lowest level in almost four years – before climbing to a record high by June, driven largely by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Iran conflict, through which roughly 20% of global oil supply passes.
A ceasefire in June brought relief, with prices easing through July and a further modest 13c decrease for petrol in August. That relief has now proven short-lived, with September’s confirmed increase erasing those gains.
What it means for motorists
For a standard 45-litre petrol tank, the September increase adds roughly R60. Diesel users face a steeper hit: a 100-litre diesel fill-up will cost around R300 more than it did in August.
The DMPR reviews fuel prices monthly, with adjustments taking effect at midnight on the first Wednesday of each month based on CEF tracking data, international oil prices and the rand-dollar exchange rate.
