Fuel Price Crisis | Here’s how much more each kilometre will cost versus early 2026

The cost of driving a kilometre has increased significantly since March.

As if the significant fuel price hikes of September were not punishing enough, South African motorists and commuters will be dealt another blow in October, with current projections pointing to increases of more than R3 for most fuel types.

Month-end data from the Central Energy Fund shows petrol price increases of around R3.08 for 93 Unleaded and R3.29 for 95 Unleaded, while diesel is looking set to rise by between R2.80 for 500ppm and R3.15 in the case of 50ppm.

At this stage, it is looking unlikely that the government will intervene with temporary tax relief measures, as it did in April this year, when the General Fuel Levy was cut by at least R3.00 per litre for two months. Last month, Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe stated that there were no immediate plans to cushion households and businesses from rising fuel costs.

Following the increases, which are due to take effect on Wednesday, October 7, motorists can expect to pay around R29.23 for a litre of 95 Unleaded petrol at the coast and R30.10 in Gauteng, where 93 is expected to retail for around R29.94. This is assuming that no relief measures are announced and that the two petrol grades are averaged out to R3.18 per litre.

Prices of 50ppm diesel could also exceed R34 at the coast and R35 inland once retail margins have been factored in.

What this means is that, for the first time ever, most South Africans will be paying more than R30 per litre for fuel.

Even an entry-level car like a Suzuki Swift could be costing you R1,000 more per month to run.

This has catastrophic implications for the average budget, with IOL’s calculations showing that even an entry-level car will cost you over R1,000 more to fuel, versus March this year, if you travel around 2,000km per month.

A small car with average consumption of 5.5 litres per 100km would have cost you around R1.11 per kilometre in fuel costs in March this year, but by September that would have risen to R1.47 per kilometre. If October’s projections ring true, that number will swell to R1.65.

A compact SUV that consumes 8.0 l/100km would have risen from R1.61 earlier in the year to R2.14 in September, with a cost of around R2.40 projected for October.

It gets worse if you drive a diesel-powered bakkie, which consumes around 9.0 l/100km. In March, you would have paid R1.89 per kilometre, but by September you would be looking at R3.16 per kilometre, up 28 cents over the previous month.

It is estimated that the average South African motorist drives around 1,500km to 1,800km per month.

If you are driving 1,500km in a month in a small car such as a Suzuki Swift, that would have cost you R1,666 in fuel bills back in March, but that would have risen to R2,208 by September and will likely peak at R2,470 in October.

In an SUV such as the Chery Tiggo, assuming consumption of 8.0 l/100km, your fuel costs would have risen from R2,423 (March) to R3,211 (September) to R3,593 (October).

In the Toyota Hilux example, at 9.0 l/100km, 1,500km per month would have risen from R2,849 (March) to R5,760 (September) to R6,327 (October). That’s almost R2,000 in the space of seven months.

Will these catastrophic fuel costs last forever?

Much hinges on the prospects of peace in the Middle East.

Oil prices remain elevated largely because the war in the Middle East has raised fears of disruptions to global crude supplies and shipping. The Strait of Hormuz is a particular concern because a significant share of the world’s oil passes through the narrow waterway, while attacks or heightened tensions in the region can also increase insurance, shipping and supply-risk costs.