What’s worse than the end of a long weekend? How about a fuel price increase? Anyone with a functioning tone sensor can guess we aren’t in the best of moods, and it’s all thanks to the Department’s third fuel price increase for South African motorists in a row.
Only petrol drivers and a small set of diesel drivers will be forced to bear the brunt of tomorrow’s nearly 70c/l increase. The rest of the country’s diesel drivers, those living along the coast, should have an easier time of it tomorrow with a minor 2c/l decrease. The Department’s changes will be reflected at the country’s pumps from midnight on Wednesday, 3 April 2024.
April’s making fools of us
There’s no use sending your condemnations (or praises) in the direction of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. What’s done is done, and at the end of the day, it can’t take all the blame. The country’s fuel prices are left down to several economic factors, both locally and globally.
Those involve keeping an eye on the average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate throughout March, and the average price of refined oil globally. The Department judges these factors at the end of every month and goes from there. Despite an appreciating Rand across March, the Department noted increased international petrol prices, while those for diesel and paraffin saw a decrease.
The Department, however, is responsible for controlling the Slate Levy. According to the fuel price change release, the combined cumulative petrol and diesel Slate balances at the end of February amount to R2.65 billion, meaning an additional 21.92c/l has been tacked onto this month’s changes.
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From 00:01 on the morning of Wednesday, 3 April, petroleum-based fuels will see the following changes:
Inland:
- Petrol 93: increase of 65 cents per litre (R0.65)
- Petrol 95: increase of 67 cents per litre (R0.67)
- Diesel 0.05%: increase of 3 cents per litre (R0.03)
- Diesel 0.005%: decrease of 2 cents per litre (R0.02)
- Illuminating Paraffin: decrease of 29 cents per litre (R0.29)
- LPGAS: decrease of 19 cents per kilogram (R0.19)
Coastal:
- Petrol 93: increase of 58 cents per litre (R0.58)
- Petrol 95: increase of 60 cents per litre (R0.60)
- Diesel 0.05%: decrease of 4 cents per litre (R0.04)
- Diesel 0.005%: decrease of 9 cents per litre (R0.09)
- Illuminating Paraffin: decrease of 26 cents per litre (R0.26)
- LPGAS: decrease of 19 cents per kilogram (R0.19)