February has proven to be a whirlwind of emotions when it comes to the impending petrol price adjustment in March 2025, which tends to take place on the first Wednesday of any given month. At first, it was believed that all motorists would be hit with a sizeable hike before the outlook brightened to shine on SA’s diesel drivers. Now, the Central Energy Fund (CEF) has published another daily predictive snapshot that raised our spirits further.

We’re not out of the woods yet. According to the CEF’s latest figures (captured 21 February), petrol drivers are still expected to pay a little bit more than they did in February. It’s only a few cents, mind you, but it’s still a lot to stomach considering the non-stop increases in 2025. Diesel drivers, on the other hand, are expected to save on their fuel bills in the coming month.

It ain’t much, but…

It’s worth mentioning that the CEF’s figures (below) are not final. Those come directly from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) at month’s end – based on the CEF’s findings. The CEF is a state-owned energy company reporting to the DMRE, tracking the biggest economic factors that can influence the price of fuel locally.

Those are the Rand/US Dollar exchange rate as well as the price of unrefined oil, globally. A sudden disruption to either can cause our fuel prices to fluctuate wildly. In the past two weeks, however, the Rand has strengthened while the price of Brent Crude Oil has risen, leading to this disparity among South Africa’s fuels. Should the Rand continue on this trajectory, we could see a price decrease come March.