September's diesel prices could jump by more than R3/l

The price of petrol may have tumbled in August, but early predictions from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) suggest drivers won’t get off so lucky in September. Diesel drivers can likely already see their futures based on the past few adjustments — and what they see isn’t pretty. Now, the CEF has some hard figures to point and moan at.

Wake us up when September ends

Of course, we should mention that the forecast below isn’t final and is subject to change. The CEF, in conjunction with the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR), keeps track of the economic factors that influence the price of fuel locally. It uses this data to form fairly accurate predictions ahead of the official change.

That typically takes place on the first Wednesday of a new month — in this case, 2 September 2026. ‘Til then, all we can do is hope that the predictions swing in South Africa’s favour and, if need be, prepare accordingly to beat the coming price hikes. That’s the idea anyway. And you will want to prepare, if the changes are any indication.

If you’re looking for something explicit to point at for SA’s fuel woes, let it be the price of oil. Or, more accurately, the war between the US and Iran, putting strain on oil reserves around the world. As the price rises, so do the country’s fuel prices. Another factor is the average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate, which has also taken a beating.