By Rorisang Modiba
- South African petrol prices will rise on Wednesday because global oil costs jumped during the United States and Iran conflict.
- The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said diesel and paraffin prices will drop across South Africa from this Wednesday.
South African drivers face a heavy blow at the pumps this week as petrol prices shoot up. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said both grades of petrol will rise by R1.43 a litre on Wednesday, 3 June 2026.
The price hike pushes petrol 93 to R27.95 a litre. Petrol 95 climbs to R28.06 a litre. This means filling a small 40 litre tank with petrol 95 will cost R57 more than last month, bringing the total bill to R1,122.
But motorists driving diesel vehicles will get some relief. The price of 0.05% sulphur diesel drops by R3.25 a litre to cost R27.92.
The cleaner 0.005% sulphur diesel drops by R2.62 a litre to R28.76. A full 40 litre fill for a diesel vehicle will now cost about R130 less than it did last month.
Families using paraffin to heat their homes or cook will also save money. Illuminating paraffin drops by R5.96 a litre.
Liquid petroleum gas is also getting cheaper. The price drops by 17 cents a kilogram across the country and by 20 cents a kilogram in the Western Cape.
The department said global oil prices forced the petrol price hike. Brent crude oil jumped from $101 to $104.59 a barrel during the review period.
This price jump happened because of the conflict between the United States and Iran, which closed down the Strait of Hormuz.
Diesel and paraffin prices dropped because global demand for these fuels always goes down during the summer season in the northern hemisphere.
The government also reduced its short term fuel levy relief by R1.50 a litre for petrol this month. This relief plan will end on 30 June 2026. What happens to fuel prices in July depends on whether global oil prices drop.
Pictured above: Motorists at a petrol station.
Image source: Pexels
