Fuel restrictions hit South Africa

Several agricultural companies in South Africa have begun to limit daily diesel sales to farmers.

While major fuel station chains have not yet limited the sale of petrol and diesel, agricultural businesses in smaller towns and rural areas have started to ration the amount of fuel provided to farmers.

These businesses, which used to be farmer-owned cooperatives, are a vital asset for farmers as they offer much lower fuel prices than regular forecourts.

This drastically reduces operating costs for the agricultural sector, which requires large volumes of diesel.

The companies typically secure discounts on diesel from major suppliers by buying the fuel in bulk.

Diesel prices, unlike petrol, are unregulated, meaning diesel sellers can set their own profit margin on the wholesale price.

On Monday 9 March 2026, Oos-Vrystaat Kaap (OVK) Limited in the Eastern Cape advised customers they will now longer be able to order diesel at its distribution points due to price increases from its fuel suppliers.

It said that customers who want to place order will need to contact their branch manager for a quote.

Speaking to Landbouweekblad, OVK assured its customers that the closure was only temporary to allow for an analysis of the situation in the Middle East.

The decision is scheduled to be reviewed today (Thursday, 12 March 2026).

NWK in the North West was also forced to abruptly increase its diesel prices this week, following hikes from suppliers.

VKB Group has started implemented measures limiting purchases at its stations to 80 litres per customer per day.

While 80 litres of diesel may sound generous for private motorists, most agricultural vehicles can burn through hundreds of litres in a day.

A combine harvester, for example, uses anywhere from 30 to 60 litres per hour, translating to between 300 and 600 litres over a typical harvest day.

South Africa’s maize harvesting season usually begins in April. Most fruits are harvested between January and May.

The conflict between Iran and the US is also affecting global shipping, particularly fertilizer, which will further raise costs for local farmers.

Two of South Africa’s largest fertilizer suppliers are Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are unable to transport their goods since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Motorists unaffected for now – But massive petrol price hikes are on the horizon

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) recently issued a statement addressing concerns over possible fuel shortages in South Africa.

While the agricultural sector has been impacted by the global oil crisis, the DMPR assured citizens there is currently no risk of petrol and diesel shortages for private motorists.

It said it remains in continuous contact with oil companies to ensure the stability and security of local fuel supply, and that it is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and their potential impact on global oil markets and, in turn, fuel prices.

The DMPR highlighted that South Africa still has two operational oil refineries – NATREF and Astron Energy – which are primarily supplied from West Africa and are therefore unaffected by the disruptions in the Middle East.

While this is an immense relief for motorists, South Africa is unlikely to come out of this situation unscathed, as the skyrocketing global oil price is expected to take its toll on the pumps next month.

The latest data from the Central Energy Fund estimates that the wholesale price of diesel 50ppm could go up by R6.02 in April.

This would put it on par with its previous record-high price of R25.75 per litre, which was last seen in October 2022.

Petrol is better off in a relative sense, though motorists are still looking at a substantial hike of R3.52 per litre.

The silver lining is that it is still relatively early in the month and that oil prices and exchange rates have a chance to stabilize before the final fuel price adjustments are locked in for April.

Unfortunately, the situation in the Middle East does not appear to be calming down anytime soon, as Iran threatened that global oil prices could surge past $200 per barrel if the US does not back down.