R10 billion petrol tax relief for South African motorists, and a 134-year-old crumbling bridge

Right now, the most fuel-efficient cars on sale in South Africa for less than R300,000 are the Suzuki Celerio and its twin, the Toyota Vitz.

The pair claim an average fuel consumption of less than 5.0l/100km, making them perfect for the current landscape where petrol prices have skyrocketed past R30 per litre.

Despite being offered by two different manufacturers, the Celerio and the Vitz are built on the same platform, share a common engine, and are functionally identical.

Both cars are an ideal choice if you need something relatively easy on your wallet, both at the dealership and the petrol station, as they are also among the cheapest cars in South Africa.

Overnight, the world’s Brent crude oil prices rose by nearly 2%, and a barrel costs $111 this morning after a drone strike on Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah field killed two people but left operations unaffected.

According to Bloomberg, an attack on the King Fahd International Airport in Dammam killed one person, and the US ordered the departure of personnel and family members from US embassies in the kingdom.

As a result, the global benchmark has surged more than 80% this year after flows in the Persian Gulf were disrupted by the conflict, which is approaching its ninth month with little sign of a resolution.

Despite this, crude exports have climbed recently and are near pre-conflict levels as tankers switch off their transponders to avoid detection, although oil-product shipments remain constrained.

The South African rand remained steady against the US dollar, despite weakening ever so slightly against the Greenback. This morning, a single US dollar costs R16.43.

5 important things

R3 per litre petrol and diesel price relief for South African motorists: While delivering the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the government is implementing a temporary fuel levy reduction totalling R10 billion in foregone revenue. The diesel levy is reduced by R3.00 per litre, while the petrol levy is reduced by R1.50 per litre [TopAuto].

Audi goes from hero to zero in South Africa: Audi’s sales have plummeted by 76% over the last 12 years, which shows the brand’s decline in South Africa amidst increased competition [Daily Investor].

134-year-old South African bridge loved by bungee jumpers now decaying in front of everyone’s eyes: The old Gouritz River Bridge, once loved by bungee jumpers all over South Africa, has been left to rust and decay over the past few decades. The bridge spans the Gouritz River in the Western Cape and is situated 34 kilometres west of Mossel Bay and 15 kilometres east of Albertinia [Newsday].

2027 Chery Tiggo 4 to gain turbo hybrid engine, updated interior: The Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV is set to gain a new turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid option in 2027, borrowed from the closely related Jaecoo J5 hybrid [Drive].

Ferrari announces Luce pricing, and it’s less than initially expected: Ferrari’s first electric car will cost about $80k (around R1.3 million) less than initially expected, but it’s still by far the most expensive five-seater production car on the market [Car and Driver].