R9-per-litre fuel surcharge for South Africa’s petrol stations, a big recovery for petrol prices, and a new R4.2-billion bridge

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

R9-per-litre fuel surcharge for South Africa’s petrol stations

As a result of global oil supply uncertainty, some of South Africa’s fuel retailers have been hit with additional fees by fuel suppliers like Engen.

Surcharges on diesel, paraffin and petrol hit the Wholesale List Price (WSLP) plus an additional R5.25 per litre for petrol, R8.60 for diesel, and R10.75 for paraffin.

These price changes were only applied to fuel retailers who are spot, or non-contract, customers.

Big recovery for petrol prices in South Africa

The CEF’s report for the end of the second full week of April showed that fuel price under-recoveries were trending downward, resulting in a lower increase in May than was previously anticipated.

This pattern has held for all of April, as petrol was initially expected to go up by between  R4.29 and R4.69 per litre.

By the end of the first full week of April, the CEF’s prediction dropped to between R3.25 and R3.63 per litre.

New R4.2-billion bridge opening this week 

South Africa and Lesotho opened the completed Senqu Bridge on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

This represents a significant milestone for Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which aims to improve regional integration and water security between the two countries.

The Senqu Bridge cost approximately R4.2 billion to build, and is the largest of three new elevated roads being developed for the project, the other two being the Khubelu and Mabuynyane bridges.

Say goodbye to South Africa’s fuel levy relief 

South African drivers may soon face another price hike at the pumps, with the government unlikely to extend the R3 cut in the General Fuel Levy (GFL) for petrol and diesel for much longer.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana recently noted that the country is ultimately a price-taker in oil markets and that there is little room to cushion motorists.

Citigroup’s chief economist for South Africa, Gina Schoeman, noted that South Africa has enough fiscal space to extend the GFL cut by two months at a cost of over R10 billion.

Beyond this point, the government will struggle to provide relief for motorists.

The salary you need to afford the new Kia Tasman in South Africa

You will need to earn at least R73,130 per month to afford the new Kia Tasman on a finance plan, according to a calculation by TopAuto.

The Tasman is a highly anticipated bakkie that the South Korean automaker promised our market almost two years ago.

It officially launched this month in three specifications – the LX, SX, and X-Pro – with prices starting at R679,995, R879,995, and R999,995, respectively.