It wasn’t all that long ago that we reported on the Central Energy Fund’s (CEF) early petrol and diesel predictions for May 2026. At the time, we braced for the R14/l diesel price hikes — owing to the conflict in the Middle East. Since then, the CEF’s daily predictive snapshots tell a different story. One that will still see Saffas paying more at the pumps in May — a lot more for some — but it’s clear that the figures are trending in the right direction.
Keep it up
It’s worth noting that the figures below aren’t final and are subject to change. The CEF, in conjunction with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), tracks those factors that influence the price of fuel. Those are the average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate as well as the price of oil globally. In recent days, the situation in Iran has eased, with the country offering South Africa safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices are the biggest culprit for the massive fuel price increases on the horizon. Before the US’ temporary ceasefire agreement with Iran, oil prices hovered around $110/barrel. Prices immediately dropped below the $100/barrel mark, greatly influencing the CEF’s predictions. Here’s hoping it continues to decline in the coming weeks.
The DMRE typically adjusts the pumps on the first Wednesday of the new month. In this case, that’ll fall on Wednesday, 6 May. That leaves a little under four weeks for oil prices to drop, hopefully while the Rand continues to strengthen. This could lead to a reduction in the expected fuel price increases. Despite all of this, some motorists are still faced with an R11/l increase next month. We’ll keep you updated on Stuff.
Here are the petrol and diesel price predictions (so far) for May 2026:
- Petrol 93: increase of 352 cents per litre (R3.52)
- Petrol 95: increase of 392 cents per litre (R3.92)
- Diesel 0.05%: increase of 1,150 cents per litre (R11.50)
- Diesel 0.005%: increase of 1,155 cents per litre (R11.55)
- Illuminating Paraffin: increase of 912 cents per litre (R9.12)
