South Africa’s biggest petrol company preparing to shut down a refinery, and great news for everyone with a driver’s licence

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

South Africa’s biggest petrol company preparing to shut down a major refinery

Sasol’s National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (Natref) facility in Sasolburg has ramped up production by 76% as it prepares for a scheduled maintenance shutdown in early 2027.

The facility – a joint venture between Sasol and TotalEnergies – reached an output of 25.8 million barrels during the financial year ending 30 June 2026, compared to 14.7 million barrels in the year before.

To prevent potential future fuel shortages or heavy reliance on sudden imports, Sasol aggressively built up its local fuel inventories towards the end of the 2026 financial year, buffering supply during the shutdown.

Great news for everyone with a driver’s licence in South Africa

The South African government has officially announced that it will extend the driver’s licence card validity period from 5 to 10 years.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni confirmed that the Cabinet approved the extension during a post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday, 30 July 2026.

The government previously said it was working on an 8-year extension; however, Ntshavheni commented that the 10-year plan aligns with international best practice, reduces the frequency of renewal for motorists, and eases demand pressure within the licensing system

Storm brewing over one of South Africa’s most important roads

The Garden Route has become a battleground for the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) in the Western Cape.

The 300km section of the N2 has historically been maintained by the Garden Route District Municipality. However, the Western Cape Government announced in March 2025 that the road function fulfilled by the Garden Route District Municipality would be transferred to the province.

The province’s Infrastructure Minister, Tertuis Simmers, said the transfer would not disrupt residents or affect the jobs of municipal workers. The FF+ declared that his statement does not accurately reflect the facts, noting that he glossed over the impact it will have on Garden Route residents.

Bad news about petrol and diesel prices next week

The price of diesel is almost certainly going up next month, and petrol is likely to do the same.

This is according to month-end data from the Central Energy Fund, which shows that diesel is now on track for a R1.75 price hike this August, while petrol is looking at a paltry price reduction of 6c per litre.

The poor forecast is attributed to the ongoing war in Iran, which flared up again this week, causing the price of Brent Crude oil to jump from $68 to a high of $92 per barrel over the course of July.

South Africa’s biggest airline was stolen

Trevor Manuel, former Finance Minister and Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, said that South African Airways was stolen and destroyed.

He made these comments during a review of South Africa’s post-1994 governance at the National Democratic Revolution Seminar where he criticised systemic corruption, the collapse of public services, and South Africa’s post-2007 political trajectory.

He noted that SAA became one of the biggest victims of the State Capture era, with frequent leadership changes, politicised board appointments, and compromised procurement processes that forced the airline into business rescue.