Author: Stuff writer

Now that we’ve had some time to celebrate the petrol price cuts of July, it’s time to turn our attention toward August. The Central Energy Fund (CEF) has already gotten moving on the fuel price predictions for next month, teasing a pretty sizeable price decrease for everyone involved. Without the National Treasury getting involved. August stays winnin’ As ever, the CEF’s figures are not final and are subject to change. The CEF, in conjunction with the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR), tracks those factors that influence the price of fuel locally. Using this data, it’s able to predict the movements…

It’s already that time of the month again, huh? Time for the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) to adjust the country’s fuel prices. Those will only hit the country’s pumps this Wednesday, 1 July. In the meantime, you’ll want to hold off visiting the nearest garage ’til tomorrow morning. We’re in for some price cuts. And not just those aimed at the country’s diesel drivers either. This July, everyone will get a turn to brag about paying less at the pumps than they did a week ago. Sure, the diesel drivers have more excuse to brag with a R3.59/l price…

With only a few days to go before the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources adjusts South Africa’s fuel prices, the Central Energy Fund has provided another batch of petrol price predictions. Motorists nationwide will be glad to hear that price cuts are on the way, even after the National Treasury’s relief comes to an end on 1 July. Fuel gainz At the time of writing, the CEF predicts that the price of petrol will fall by about R3/l, while diesel drivers are due a cut of around R4.70/l. The CEF’s figures, while accurate, don’t take the end of the…

Just as you get used to paying a certain amount for fuel, it changes again. And not always for the better. Thankfully, the latest batch of the Central Energy Fund’s (CEF) July fuel predictions (as of 10 June) aren’t looking too bad for petrol or diesel-fueled motorists. When the official figures came in for June’s fuel prices, they signalled welcome decreases across the board. Unfortunately, petrol’s decrease was offset by the government’s R3.00-per-litre fuel levy relief being halved, leading to a (relatively) slight increase. How much now? Thanks to a range of factors, local prices of petrol and diesel are…

eBucks, South Africa’s original bank loyalty programme, is relaunching its travel offerings with huge savings. Anyone who has ever scrutinised the Ts&Cs will know how hard it is to make sense of the opaque rules of the airline industry. eBucks has struck deals with 11 airlines – covering Africa, Europe, the UK, the Middle East, North America, the Far East and Australia – to get as much as 80% off international flights. From October, eBucks will introduce a “bank-funded international travel benefit offering up to 80% off the full price of international flights – not just the airline base fare”.…

What is the best value computer to buy right now? Most of us will look to the latest new computers, but that overlooks the value left in pre-owned computers, argues MacShack, which is an independent pre-owned Apple dealer. It thinks that “a certified pre-owned MacBook Air M1 at R9,900 is the best value computer in South Africa today”. It’s a bold statement it makes in its first MacBook Depreciation Index for SA, with the key insight ”the M1 Air is the value sweet spot”. The ‘sweet’ spot “The MacBook Air M1 launched at R20,000 in November 2020,” explains MacShack director…

The app that invented workplace misery? I thought this page was supposed to be fun? We’re pretty sure workplace misery predates digital spreadsheets, and Microsoft didn’t invent those anyway. That dubious honour goes to the creators of VisiCalc, which debuted on the Apple II six years before Excel; it was the first app to automate complex spreadsheet calculations via a magical grid of cells packed with data. Excel only became a glimmer in Microsoft’s eye after its own Multiplan failed and Lotus 1-2-3 had risen to dominate the PC market. OK, fine. The app that amplified workplace misery on the…

The start of a new month means another round of adjustments to fuel prices. There has been some movement since we published the latest June fuel price predictions. The directions of the petrol and diesel prices haven’t changed, but the figures have slightly. Here is what the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources wants to charge you for driving around in June. Official June fuel prices By now, you probably know what goes into the department’s decision to increase or decrease the country’s prices. The global price of oil is a big contributing factor, as is the average Rand/US Dollar exchange…

The latest batch of the Central Energy Fund’s (CEF) predictions for June’s fuel price changes has been released. In isolation, the predicted changes would be a boon for all motorists in the country, no matter what gas guzzler you drive. The unfortunate reality is that they don’t exist in isolation. While prices are decreasing across the board, the halving of the government’s fuel levy relief means some drivers could still pay more at the pumps next week. A rare ‘W’ for diesel drivers Briefly ignoring the fuel levy relief, the latest predictions indicate decreases for both petrol and diesel. The…

South Africa’s petrol and diesel prices are heading in the right direction this June. After a tragic bout of increases for both petrol and diesel drivers, the Central Energy Fund (CEF) has some good news in store. In its latest daily fuel price snapshot (captured 13 May), it teased a drastic R4/l decrease in diesel prices for June. The day diesel drivers have dreamed about Compared to the early predictions for June, which foretold a smaller, R2.48/l decrease, it’s a big jump. And with more than half of May left to us, there’s an opportunity for that figure to grow even…