Motorists are paying up to R208 more to fill up their tanks with petrol than they were at the start of the year.
South Africa got off to a great start in 2026 with fuel prices dropping to a four-year low in January.
Prices dropped even further in February, but this positive momentum has since been undone by fuel price hikes in March and April, the latter of which hit particularly hard.
South Africa’s best petrol price didn’t last long
Back in January, the cost of petrol dropped by 62c, allowing prices to fall R19.85 per litre – a low point not seen since 2022.
Since then, South Africa received one more price cut in February, and two price hikes in March and April.
April saw enormous hikes due to the outbreak of war in the Middle East between Iran, Israel, and the United States, which caused international oil prices to skyrocket.
Even though South Africa imports a large portion of its oil from West Africa, this was not enough to shield the country from the international price shock.
These were the official fuel price adjustments over the last three months:
- February – 65c per litre decrease
- March – 20c per litre increase
- April – 306c per litre increase
Even with February’s 65c reduction, March and April’s hikes ensured that motorists are paying R2.61 more at the pumps than they were at the start of the year.
The following table shows how much it cost to fill up different tank sizes back in January 2026, compared to what it does now:
| Tank size | Cost to refill in January 2026 (R19.85) | Cost to refill in April 2026 (R22.46) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 litres | R595.50 | R673.80 | R78.30 |
| 40 litres | R794.00 | R898.40 | R104.40 |
| 50 litres | R992.50 | R1,123.00 | R130.50 |
| 60 litres | R1,191.00 | R1,347.60 | R156.60 |
| 70 litres | R1,389.50 | R1,572.20 | R182.70 |
| 80 litres | R1,588.00 | R1,796.80 | R208.80 |
In the span of two months, South Africa went from its lowest petrol price in years to almost R23 per litre.
Even motorists with small cars are paying at least R78.30 more for fuel, while households with larger bakkies and SUVs are paying up to R208.80 more per top-up.
April’s massive fuel price hike could have been worse, too, as the government intervened at the last moment with a temporary R3 reduction in the General Fuel Levy (GFL).
In other words, petrol would have gone up by R6 in April without the government’s relief measure.
Unfortunately, this same relief won’t be granted to consumers in May, as the National Treasury warned that the GFL reduction was a one-time measure and that it cannot afford to slash fuel taxes any futher.
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