Still a bit down after last week’s fuel price predictions? That’s to be expected if you’re a regular buyer of Petrol 93, which was the only petroleum-based fuel to see an expected price increase, while the rest were let off easy. Fortunately, the Central Energy Fund (CEF) has returned with the mid-month fuel price predictions (captured 14 April) that will change your tune by the time May rolls around.

Big petrol gains expected in May

It’s worth noting that the CEF’s daily predictive snapshots are not law. The CEF, a state-owned energy company reporting directly to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), tracks the economic factors that influence the price of fuel locally. The DMRE uses this data, averaged throughout the month, to determine the official price of fuel in South Africa, adjusted on the first Wednesday of every new month.

Those factors are the current Rand/US Dollar exchange rate and the average price of unrefined oil globally. Despite the ongoing tariff troubles worldwide, South African motorists won’t suffer the price. A slightly stronger Rand compared to last week, in conjunction with generally cheaper oil prices globally, has contributed to the expected fuel price decreases expected to come into effect in May.

While the CEF’s predictive snapshots do offer the most accurate representation of the fuel price movements in April, the figures below are subject to change. Should the Rand take a dip, or the price of oil globally shoot up, drivers may face a smaller price cut than expected, or even a price hike. We’ll continue to update readers throughout April of the expected fuel price adjustments.

Here are the petrol and diesel price predictions (so far) for May 2025: