Official Petrol Price Increases For September Announced

The increases are largely the result of the international price of oil, which was negatively impacted by the renewed conflict in the Middle East. Brent Crude oil is currently trading at $91 per barrel, compared to $79 per barrel at the start of August. Prices rose again this weekend when the United States and Iran traded blows. Iranian state media also reported that a supertanker attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz was hit by two mines. The result of these disruptions is an increase in international petroleum product prices.

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Official Fuel Price Adjustments for September 2026

In line with the provisions of the Self-Adjusting Slate Levy Mechanism, a slate levy of 83.28 cents per litre will be implemented in the price structure of both fuels.

What You're Paying This September

The new fuel price adjustments will take effect on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. According to the DMPR, the average price of Brent Crude oil increased from $82.37 to $87.88 per barrel during the period under review. This led to an increase in the international product price of fuel, resulting in a higher contribution to the Basic Fuel Price of petrol by 127.79 cents per litre and diesel by 321.29 cents per litre.

Small Relief from the Rand

On a more positive note, the rand offered a small measure of relief thanks to a stronger exchange rate with the US dollar. The rand dropped from R16.46 to R16.21 per USD during the period under review, leading to a lower contribution to the Basic Fuel Price of 21.07 cents per litre and 29.06 cents per litre for petrol and diesel, respectively.

Forecourt Employee Wage Adjustment

Additionally, the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources approved a 4.9 cents per litre increase (from 315.1 cents to 320 cents) in the price structure of petrol to accommodate a wage adjustment for forecourt employees. This is in line with the Motor Industry Bargaining Council multi-year Wage Settlement Agreement signed in August 2025.

What It Means for Your Pocket

The sharp increases will place additional pressure on household budgets already stretched by inflation and the rising cost of living. Transport costs, food prices and the cost of goods and services are all expected to rise in response to the higher fuel prices.

Diesel users—particularly in the logistics, agriculture and mining sectors—will feel the brunt of the increase, with the price of diesel crossing the R30 per litre mark for the first time. This is likely to feed through to higher prices for consumers across the board, as transport and distribution costs rise.

The Broader Context

The September fuel hike follows a modest increase of 52 cents per litre for petrol and a much larger hike for diesel last month. Motorists have now experienced four consecutive months of sharp increases at the pumps, reflecting a combination of global oil price volatility, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the weakening of the rand.

Looking Ahead

With geopolitical tensions in the Middle East showing no sign of abating and oil prices remaining volatile, motorists may face further increases in the months ahead. The coming months will be critical in determining the trajectory of global oil prices and their impact on South African motorists.

With reporting from BusinessDay, EWN, IOL, The Citizen, The South African, and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.