Fuel Prices are going Up and both will be affected

South Africa’s Official Fuel Price Adjustments for July 2025

The Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has announced the official fuel price adjustments, effective today, Wednesday, 2 July 2025.

Both petrol and diesel prices will see an increase this month, with diesel users bearing the brunt of the hikes.

• Petrol prices will rise by up to 55 cents per litre,

• Diesel prices will increase by as much as 84 cents per litre.

What’s Driving the Increases?

The primary cause of these price hikes is ongoing geopolitical instability, which has created significant volatility in global oil markets. In particular, the recent conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the United States has disrupted international oil prices throughout June, pushing up the cost of refined petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, and illuminating paraffin.

Initially, market expectations pointed to a slight decrease in fuel prices for July. However, the international price surge reversed that outlook, resulting in notable increases instead.

A Positive Note: Rand Strengthens

Amid global uncertainty, the South African rand showed unexpected resilience. Between 30 May and 26 June 2025, the rand strengthened from R18.11 to R17.84 against the US dollar, helping to offset some of the potential price pressures.

A stronger rand reduces the cost of importing oil, which contributed to a modest reduction in the Basic Fuel Price (BFP) for July:

• Petrol BFP: 15.71c per litre

• Diesel BFP: 16.35c per litre

The Slate Levy, implemented through the Self-Adjusting Slate Levy Mechanism, will remain unchanged at 0.00c per litre for both petrol and diesel from 2 July 2025.

Official Fuel Price Adjustments for July 2025: