South African motorists are facing a petrol price increase of approximately R2.09 per litre for 95-octane fuel from Wednesday, 6 May 2026, even after government extended its temporary fuel levy relief to June. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is expected to release official adjusted prices ahead of the Wednesday implementation date.
The government’s R3-per-litre reduction in the general fuel levy, first introduced as a short-term cost-of-living intervention, has been extended to 2 June by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
An additional 93 cents per litre in diesel levy relief has also been confirmed for May, effectively reducing the diesel levy to zero for the month. Despite both measures, the underlying pressure on petrol prices is proving too significant to offset entirely.
What drivers will pay from 6 May
Based on current over-recovery and exchange rate data cited by Business Tech and IOL, the expected inland retail price for 95-octane petrol from 6 May is approximately R25.41 per litre.
The current inland price is approximately R23.32 per litre, placing the projected increase at around R2.09 per litre. Petrol 93 is expected to increase by approximately R1.77 per litre.
Coastal 95-octane pricing will differ marginally from inland figures.
For a motorist filling a standard 60-litre tank with 95-octane fuel, the May adjustment adds approximately R125.40 to the cost of a full tank. Without the government’s extended levy relief, the increase would have been substantially higher.
What is driving the increase
The primary drivers of the May price pressure are global oil price volatility linked to ongoing Middle East conflict and a weaker rand against the US dollar. Both factors increase the basic fuel price (BFP), the cost at which South Africa imports refined fuel, before local levies and distribution margins are applied.
The Daily Maverick reported that Godongwana’s decision to extend levy relief again represented a fresh fiscal risk, as the measure draws on revenue that would otherwise flow to the national budget.
The extension was nonetheless framed as a direct consumer protection intervention during a period of sustained cost-of-living pressure.
The DMRE will publish the final confirmed May retail prices, including the exact rand-per-litre breakdown for 93 and 95 petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin, in its official statement before 6 May.
Motorists and fleet operators should treat current projections as estimates until those figures are confirmed.
