Bloodbath at the pumps: diesel drivers face another price hike this August

With only a little over two weeks to go until the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) adjusts the country’s petrol and diesel prices, the Central Energy Fund (CEF) has some good and bad news about the fuel prices that await us this August. As regular Stuff readers might know, petrol drivers will likely be treated to a petrol price cut this August, while diesel drivers will be forced to contend with a major price hike.

In for a rough one for diesel drivers this August

It’s worth noting that the CEF’s predictions are not set in stone, and subject to change. The CEF provides daily insights into the coming fuel price changes by tracking those economic factors that influence the price of fuel. It works closely with the DMRE, tracking this data over any given month, to help determine the official price of fuel every month. As ever, the DMRE officially adjusts fuel prices on the first Wednesday of a new month.

For most of 2025, drivers were treated to continually falling fuel prices — until recently, when drivers were hit over the head (hard) by July’s official fuel prices, which ended SA’s months-long streak of price decreases. This sudden upheaval in fuel prices was attributed to the rising tensions overseas, which sent the price of oil prices rising internationally — a key factor in South Africa’s fuel prices.

While this has stabilised somewhat in recent weeks, there’s still a feeling of uncertainty in the markets, contributing to the increased prices of diesel locally. It’s this, in conjunction with the average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate, that helps the DMRE decide on local fuel prices. Fortunately, the Rand has remained relatively strong throughout this, leading to an expected petrol price cut this August.

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