South Africa fuel price March 2025 Petrol and diesel prices are coming down in April, but the decreases are lower than expected.
Image: David Ritchie
South Africans can look forward to substantial fuel price savings from Wednesday, April 2, with both petrol and diesel decreases now officially confirmed by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.
The department has announced reductions of 58 cents for 93 Unleaded petrol and 72 cents for 95 Unleaded petrol, while diesel will come down by between 84 cents (500ppm) and 86 cents (50ppm).
This will see 93 Unleaded retailing at R21.51 in Gauteng and 95 Unleaded at R21.62, with a coastal price of R20.83. The wholesale price of 50ppm diesel will be reduced to R18.60 at the coast and R19.36 inland.
The predicted decreases come largely as a result of lower international product prices, as well as a stronger rand.
Good news for motorists is that for the third year in a row there will be no increase in the General Fuel Levy or Road Accident Fund Levy, whose adjustments typically take place in April. However, Treasury has announced a three cent increase in carbon taxes for petrol and diesel.
This, and adjustments to the road and pipeline transport tariffs, mean that April's fuel price reductions are slightly lower than expected. Unaudited data released by the CEF late last week had pointed to petrol price reductions of between 64 cents and 78 cents, and diesel decreases of 90 to 92 cents.
Multiple forces influenced international oil prices during the review month of March, with Brent Crude having hit six-month lows, falling beneath the $70 mark (R1,278) earlier in the month, on news that oil cartel OPEC+ intended to raise oil production.
However, while petrol price cuts in the region of R1 were looking likely earlier in March, the over-recovery was eroded later in the month after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Venezuelan oil importers, which saw oil prices rise to around the $73 mark.
April's fuel price relief comes after a seven cent decrease at the beginning of March, which followed four consecutive months of price increases.
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