Better news about petrol prices, a new international airport for South Africa, and a warning for motorists paying speeding fines online

These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week.

Better news about petrol prices this May

New mid-month data from the Central Energy Fund shows that petrol prices won’t rise as much as previously anticipated this May.

Petrol is now expected to increase R2.62 per litre, which, while considerable, is a lot less than the previous under-recovery of R4.69 per litre.

Global oil prices have dropped since the US and Iran entered a ceasefire. However, these gains may be offset by the fact that the government intends to re-introduce the full General Fuel Levy in May, adding R3 to the price of petrol.

New international airport for South Africa

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is planning to build a new international airport in South Africa.

The airport is part of a larger plan to develop a new smart city and “aerotropolis” along the Vaal River in Gauteng.

R1.3 billion has already been pledged to the project, which aims to create a new terminal with an initial capacity of 7.2 million passengers and 150,000 tons of freight per annum.

Isuzu breaks new record in South Africa

Last month marked a historic moment for Isuzu Motors South Africa and its bakkie-building plant at Struandale in Gqeberha, as it managed to break its annual local production record.

During the company’s financial year ended 31 March 2026, Isuzu recorded a massive 21% year-on-year increase in production volumes for both the D-Max bakkie and Isuzu Trucks.

This increase led to 27,400 D-Max bakkies being built over the last twelve months, while 3,800 trucks rolled off the production line during the same period.

Warning for motorists paying speeding fines online

The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) has warned motorists to be wary of fraudulent traffic fine communications urging them to pay immediately or face penalties.

It noted that South Africans have been receiving fake speeding fine notices threatening to block users from renewing their driver’s licence cards and vehicle licence discs.

The fake notices are supposedly for infringements committed under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act. However, AARTO has yet to be implemented nationwide.

New Mahindra bakkie coming to South Africa – What to expect

Mahindra has confirmed to TopAuto that it plans to launch the new Global Pik Up in South Africa next year.

The new Pik Up shares a platform with the Scorpio-N Adventure SUV and will be a more premium offering than the current models.

However, the company added that it will continue to produce the old bakkie even after the new version arrives, ensuring that there is a more affordable option for small businesses.