Petrol Prices Rise by 69 Cents Per Litre in South Africa

Despite a turbulent year marked by both domestic challenges and international market shocks, South African motorists closed out 2025 only marginally worse off in overall fuel price terms. While the year delivered periods of relief at the pumps, these were offset by sharp increases at other points, leaving many drivers feeling little real benefit by December.

Key Takeaways

• Diesel absorbed the biggest increases: While petrol prices ended the year close to where they started, diesel prices rose sharply, with low sulphur diesel increasing by up to 69 cents per litre, placing sustained pressure on households, transport operators and businesses that rely heavily on road freight.
• Monthly volatility masked the real cost impact: Large swings in fuel prices throughout 2025 meant that even small net annual changes translated into meaningful budget strain for motorists, as sharp increases early and late in the year offset periods of temporary relief.
• Fuel levies outweighed favourable market conditions: Despite lower average oil prices and a stronger rand by year end, the increase in the general fuel levy ensured that South African motorists paid more overall, limiting the benefit of improved global pricing dynamics.

Government Policy and External Pressures

Outside of a global diesel shortage that placed upward pressure on prices across several regions, the government’s decision to increase the general fuel levy ensured that motorists would, on balance, end the year paying more. This increase reduced the impact of favourable movements in oil prices and currency strength, particularly for petrol users.

When assessing fuel price changes over the full twelve month period from December 2024 to December 2025, petrol users experienced a mixed picture rather than a uniform trend. Different fuel grades moved in opposite directions, highlighting how sensitive pricing outcomes can be to both taxation and international supply dynamics.

Petrol Price Outcomes Across the Year

Motorists using 93 octane petrol, which is typically cheaper and more widely used in older or smaller vehicles, saw prices edge higher over the year. The price increased by 11 cents per litre, rising from R21.15 at the end of 2024 to R21.26 by December 2025. While this increase may appear modest in isolation, it still represents an added cost over thousands of kilometres of driving.

By contrast, drivers filling up with 95 octane petrol experienced a small measure of relief. The price of this higher grade fuel declined slightly over the same period, falling by 6 cents per litre from R21.47 to R21.41. This reduction, however, was not enough to materially change household transport budgets for most motorists.

What the Price Changes Mean at the Pump

In practical terms, the impact on motorists becomes clearer when translated into a typical refuelling scenario. A driver filling a 50 litre tank from empty would now pay approximately R5.50 more for Petrol 93 than a year ago. Petrol 95 users would spend about R3.00 less for the same fill-up.

Diesel users, however, face a far heavier burden. Depending on the sulphur content, a full 50 litre refill now costs between R28.50 and R34.50 more than it did at the end of 2024, placing sustained pressure on household budgets and transport dependent businesses.

Petrol and Diesel Price Changes in 2025

Month	Petrol 93	Petrol 95	Diesel 0.5%	Diesel 0.05%
Start	R21.15	R21.47	R19.21	R19.33
January	+19	+12	+8	+11
February	+82	+82	+105	+101
March	-7	-7	-18	-24
April	-58	-72	-84	-86
May	-22	-22	-42	-41
June	-5	-5	-37	-37
July	+55	+52	+82	+84
August	-28	-28	+65	+63
September	-4	-4	-56	-57
October	+1	+8	-10	-8
November	-51	-51	-21	-19
December	+29	+29	+65	+82
Final	R21.26	R21.41	R19.78	R20.02
Total Change	+11 cents	-6 cents	+57 cents	+69 cents

This table shows how fuel prices in South Africa moved month by month during 2025, highlighting just how volatile the year was despite relatively small net changes by December. Petrol prices experienced both sharp increases and deep cuts, largely cancelling each other out over the year, while diesel prices were far more sensitive to global supply disruptions and market shocks. The largest increases occurred early in the year and again in mid-winter and December, while the steepest declines were recorded during autumn when oil prices eased and the rand strengthened. Overall, the data illustrates that even when annual price changes appear modest, frequent monthly swings can still place sustained pressure on household and business fuel budgets.

Ups and Downs in the Global and Local Context

Although the final outcome for 2025 appears relatively flat when viewed in isolation, the journey to that point involved substantial fluctuations. Fuel prices in South Africa are primarily driven by changes in international oil prices and movements in the rand against the US dollar, both of which experienced extreme swings during the year.

Rand Performance Adds Another Layer

In parallel with developments in the oil market, the rand delivered a surprisingly strong performance over the course of the year. The currency started 2025 under pressure, trading as weak as R18.99 to the US dollar in January.

As the year unfolded, the US dollar lost ground amid the same trade tensions that disrupted global oil markets. This allowed the rand to strengthen against the greenback for extended periods, offering potential relief for imported fuel costs.

This recovery was not without interruption. A combination of international shocks and domestic instability weighed heavily on local markets at several points. These included direct policy tensions between the Trump administration and South Africa, the 2025 budget standoff, and the near breakdown of the Government of National Unity following disputes between the ANC and DA.

During these episodes, the rand briefly touched record weak levels against the dollar, amplifying fuel price pressures. Despite this, markets stabilised later in the year, and the rand exceeded expectations by proving far more resilient during the second half of 2025.

Why Fuel Still Ended Higher

Given the combination of lower oil prices and a stronger rand, South African motorists might reasonably have expected fuel prices to be lower in December 2025 than they were a year earlier. Under normal conditions, these factors would have translated into noticeable savings at the pumps.

However, the increase in the general fuel levy, announced in the May 2025 budget and set at 15 cents per litre, altered the final outcome. This adjustment absorbed much of the benefit created by favourable global conditions, ensuring that motorists were generally worse off by year end despite supportive movements in oil and currency markets.

Conclusion

Fuel prices in South Africa during 2025 tell a story of sharp swings rather than steady trends, with motorists ultimately ending the year slightly worse off despite periods of relief. While falling global oil prices and a stronger rand should have translated into more meaningful savings at the pumps, these benefits were largely absorbed by higher fuel levies and ongoing diesel supply pressures. For many households and businesses, particularly those reliant on diesel, the combination of volatility, policy driven costs and recurring monthly increases made fuel budgeting more difficult and reinforced how sensitive local pump prices remain to both global developments and domestic fiscal decisions.