Motorists have had little to smile about in recent months, with diesel motorists being hit hardest following a series of recent fuel price hikes, yet without government intervention, it could have been worse.
Earlier this week, the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) announced the official fuel price adjustments for May 2026.
Unfortunately for motorists, both petrol and diesel prices increased sharply as a result of the ongoing war in Iran, which led to massive fluctuations in the international oil price.
Despite Brent Crude oil dropping to $95 per barrel following the announcement of a ceasefire, prices jumped back to over $100 per barrel when talks failed, and the US imposed its own blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
As a result, the average international product price for both petrol and diesel increased between 27 March and 29 April 2026, while the rand also depreciated against the US dollar over the same period.
This led to a higher Basic Fuel Price contribution of 0.360c/l for petrol, and 0.540c/l for diesel.
Additionally, a Slate Levy of 122.70 c/l has been implemented on petrol and diesel, in line with the provisions of the Self-Adjusting Slate Levy Mechanism.
The good news is that the government has decided to extend fuel tax relief measures, which were set to expire at the start of May, until at least next month.
Additional relief has been granted to diesel motorists, with the government reducing the General Fuel Levy for diesel by another 93c to R0.00 per litre.
The DMPR initially incorrectly reported May’s diesel price increases, failing to take its own 93c per litre into account.
This was corrected, and the wholesale price of diesel was increased by R5.27 per litre, instead of the R6.19 per litre increase reported on Monday.
The accurate diesel prices in South Africa for May 2026 are as follows:
| Diesel grade | Inland price | Coastal price |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel 0.05% (Wholesale) | R31.17 | R30.30 |
| Diesel 0.005% (Wholesale) | R31.88 | R30.62 |
If the relief had not been extended, diesel drivers would be spending up to R32.30 per litre this month, or as much as R35.81 per litre if the R3.93 General Fuel Levy were still in place.
Spending nearly R4 per litre less on diesel
If these relief measures weren’t in place this month, a full tank of diesel would have been significantly more expensive, as can be seen in the table below.
The table outlines what a full tank costs at current inland diesel prices, as well as what it could have been if the entire R3.93 per litre fuel levy were still in place.
| Fuel tank size | Diesel 0.005% (R31.88) | Diesel 0.005% without relief (R35.81) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 litres | R956.40 | R1,074.30 |
| 35 litres | R1,115.80 | R1,253.35 |
| 40 litres | R1,275.20 | R1,432.40 |
| 45 litres | R1,434.60 | R1,611.45 |
| 50 litres | R1,594 | R1,790.50 |
| 55 litres | R1,753.40 | R1,969.55 |
| 60 litres | R1,912.80 | R2,148.60 |
| 65 litres | R2,072.20 | R2,327.65 |
| 70 litres | R2,231.60 | R2,506.70 |
| 75 litres | R2,391 | R2,685.75 |
| 80 litres | R2,550.40 | R2,864.80 |
Had the government not chosen to intervene, South Africa’s diesel drivers may have been paying as much as R314 more to fill up their tanks this month.
Motorists need to keep in mind that the fuel levy relief will be phased out over the next few months, with the fuel levy increasing from R1.10 per litre to R2.60 per litre for petrol, and from R0.00 per litre to R1.97 per litre for diesel in June.
The government’s relief measures will end in July, when the general fuel levy returns to R4.10 per litre for petrol and R3.93 per litre for diesel.
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