If you thought September’s official petrol and diesel prices were pushing your wallet to its limit, we invite you to avert your eyes from October’s official fuel price changes. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy just published the month’s official fuel price changes and… they’re not pretty.

Diesel drivers might be walking instead

Diesel drivers are, once again, taking the brunt of the increase, with a nearly R2 increment set to hit the country’s pumps. The Department cites the country’s continually depreciating Rand against the US Dollar for the major increase, though it also made note of a 30c increase across the board in compliance with the Self-Adjusting Slate Levy Mechanism.

“The combined cumulative petrol and diesel Slate balances at the end of August 2023 amounted to a negative balance of R 3.519 billion. In line with the provisions of the Self-Adjusting Slate Levy Mechanism, a Slate Levy of 30.70 c/l will be implemented into the price structures of petrol and diesel with effect from 04 October 2023,” it said in a release.

We’d advise heading to the nearest petrol station to get your last bit of fuel before the Department’s new prices kick in as quickly as possible. There’s no need to rush off right away, however. You’ll have until Wednesday, 4 October at 00:01 to make use of September’s official petrol prices before they melt away.

From 00:01 on the morning of Wednesday, 4 October, petroleum-based fuels will see the following increases: