Motorists could face higher fuel prices from Wednesday, with month-end data pointing to increases for both petrol and diesel.

According to the Central Energy Fund’s latest projections, the price of 95 Unleaded petrol is expected to rise by 21 cents a litre, while 93 Unleaded could increase by 18 cents, reports The Witness.

Diesel is set for steeper hikes of between 62 cents (500ppm) and 65 cents (50ppm).

If confirmed, this would push the price of 95 Unleaded to around R19.48 a litre at the coast and R20.31 in Gauteng.

The inland price of 93 Unleaded is expected to reach about R20.17.

Wholesale diesel prices could climb to roughly R17.84 at the coast and R19.17 inland.

The anticipated increases are largely attributed to higher international product prices during February.

A firmer rand helped limit the hikes, which could otherwise have been as high as 35 cents per litre for petrol and close to 80 cents for diesel.

The final adjustments will be announced by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.

However, further increases are likely in April following Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s announcement of a fuel levy hike in his 2026 Budget speech in Cape Town.

Godongwana confirmed that the general fuel levy would increase by nine cents to R4.10 per litre for petrol and by eight cents to R3.93 per litre for diesel from April 1.

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) levy will rise by seven cents to R2.25 per litre, while the carbon fuel levy will increase to 19 cents per litre for petrol and 23 cents for diesel.

Taking the combined adjustments into account, motorists will pay an additional 35 cents per litre for petrol and 38 cents per litre for diesel from April.

The minister said the increases are in line with inflation and necessary to bolster revenue collection and protect frontline services.

For the 2025/2026 financial year, the government expects to collect R21.3 billion more in tax than previously estimated, citing stronger-than-expected VAT, corporate income tax and dividends tax collections.

The fuel levy, which makes up about 18% of the retail fuel price, contributes to funding government services, while the RAF levy supports compensation for road accident victims.

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