It’s not often that we get to deliver some good news regarding the country’s petrol and diesel prices. No, we haven’t forgotten November’s fuel price changes which brought about a nearly R2 drop in petrol prices and a measly 85c fall for diesel drivers. Like most, we assumed that it was all a fluke, and would leave the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy starving for revenge. That… hasn’t happened. The Department has doubled down on the decrease ahead of Christmas, promising even cheaper fuel prices.
Unlike last month, it’s the diesel drivers’ turn to enjoy a bit of the spotlight, relishing in a R2-plus drop in prices, bringing the price of diesel closer to the fun side of R22/l. Even so, we doubt you’ll hear many petrol drivers bellyaching about a 65c drop, even if we are watching from afar a little jealously.
Petrol on your mind?
There’s no need to leave the comfort of wherever you’re taking refuge from this heatwave just yet. The Department’s announcement precedes the official price change, taking place at midnight on Wednesday, 06 December 2023. That means a busy morning at the nearest pumps for most, so we’d recommend an earlier cup of coffee tomorrow morning than usual.
The Department isn’t blessing the country with price cuts from the kindness of its heart. Like the Central Energy Fund (CEF) that makes daily predictions on fuel prices, the Department looks at the average value of the Rand compared to the US Dollar over the month, which saw an average appreciation throughout November.
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As for the price hikes hitting LPGAS, our best bet is that the return of load shedding in such high Stages in recent weeks has increased the butane demand ahead of Christmas.
From 00:01 on the morning of Wednesday, 6 December, petroleum-based fuels will see the following changes:
- Petrol 93: decrease of 65 cents per litre (R0.65)
- Petrol 95: decrease of 65 cents per litre (R0.65)
- Diesel 0.05%: decrease of 235 cents per litre (R2.35)
- Diesel 0.005%: decrease of 241 cents per litre (R2.41)
- Illuminating Paraffin: decrease of 228 cents per litre (R2.28)
- LPGAS: increase of 167 cents per kilogram (R1.67)