It’s not quite the magnificent R1+ fuel price decrease that the Central Energy Fund (CEF) first teased for South African motorists a little over a week ago, but February’s petrol and diesel prices are still shaping up nicely. If its latest snapshot predictions, captured on 16 January, are true, motorists could be in for an 80c/l price decrease.
Good news, everyone!
As ever, we should remind readers that the figures below are not final and shouldn’t be taken as such. While the CEF is an authority on the monthly fuel price adjustments, the prices are officially finalised by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), typically on the final Friday of any given month. Fuel prices are usually adjusted on the first Wednesday of the new month — 4 February 2026, in this case.
The Central Energy Fund, which operates in conjunction with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, tracks those economic factors that influence the price of fuel locally, offering South Africans a peek into the upcoming fuel price adjustments and allowing them to plan their fuel habits accordingly.
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Chief amongst those factors are the average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate, as well as the average price of oil products internationally. The largest contributor to the predicted over-recovery (price decrease) is the Rand, which is still holding fast against the Dollar, trading at roughly R16.47/$. Brent crude oil prices plummeted in the early days of January, which largely contributed to the massive R1+ decreases the CEF predicted last week.
Since then, prices have stabilised, hovering around $64/barrel. An even stronger Rand may emerge before February arrives, or the price of oil products further decreases, ultimately leading to better fuel prices for South Africans. Of course, the opposite is also possible. We’ll keep you in the loop ’til then.
Here are the petrol and diesel price predictions (so far) for February 2026:
- Petrol 93: decrease of 76 cents per litre (R0.76)
- Petrol 95: decrease of 80 cents per litre (R0.80)
- Diesel 0.05%: decrease of 86 cents per litre (R0.86)
- Diesel 0.005%: decrease of 95 cents per litre (R0.95)
- Illuminating Paraffin: decrease of 76 cents per litre (R0.76)
