Diesel ban still on the cards for South Africa
South Africa’s plan to move to cleaner diesel is still officially on track, with the ban on selling diesel containing more than 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur set for 2027.
While the deadline has already been pushed back several times, recent activity from both government and major fuel producers suggests the shift to Cleaner Fuels Two (CF2) is now underway.
CF2 is a major update to the country’s fuel rules. It requires both petrol and diesel to meet a 10ppm sulphur limit, down from the current standards of 50ppm and, in some cases, 500ppm.
The regulations also tighten limits on other harmful fuel components, including reducing benzene to 1% and capping aromatics at 35%.
These standards are already common in developed countries such as the United States, the European Union, New Zealand, and Australia.
Fuel producers in South Africa have started to show clearer signs of preparing for the change.
Sasol, which has historically faced challenges due to the complexity of its operations, recently confirmed progress at the Natref refinery.
The company said in an operational update in September 2025 that its second low-carbon boiler is expected to be commissioned by the end of the month, indicating ongoing investment to lower emissions and modernise its facilities.
Astron Energy has also publicly committed to meeting the CF2 deadline.
In March 2025, the company told members of Parliament that it plans to invest up to $328 million to upgrade its Cape Town refinery to comply with the new fuel standards ahead of 2027.
Astron said groundwork has already been completed for a gasoline hydrotreating process that will bring its petrol production in line with Euro 5 specifications.
“We will be supplying compliant fuels on the date asked of us,” Chief Executive Thabiet Booley told Parliament.
Astron is one of only two crude oil refineries still operating in South Africa. The country’s refining capacity has dropped sharply over the past five years, falling to about 358,000 barrels per day.
This followed the closure of the two largest refineries in Durban, which include the 180,000-barrel-per-day Sapref refinery, previously owned by Shell and BP, and the 120,000-barrel-per-day Engen refinery.
As a result, South Africa has become far more dependent on imported fuel. CF2 was originally supposed to come into effect in 2017 and was later rescheduled for 2023.
Delays to the timeline are still possible
Regulatory delays, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the shutdown of four out of six refineries made both deadlines unworkable.
Although 2027 is now the official target, industry players have warned that further delays remain possible.
To address fuel security concerns, the government plans to bring two mothballed refineries back into operation.
These include the Sapref refinery in KwaZulu-Natal, which the state acquired for R1, and the state-owned PetroSA refinery in Mossel Bay. Sapref has a capacity of around 180,000 barrels per day, while PetroSA can produce about 45,000 barrels.
The government wants both facilities operational by 2027 to reduce reliance on imported fuels. It also plans to upgrade them to meet CF2 standards.
In addition, officials have said Sapref should be expanded into a much larger refinery producing at least 400,000 barrels per day.
“We can’t have a Sapref that comes back at 180,000 barrels per day,” said Deputy Director General for Minerals and Petroleum Regulation Tseliso Maqubela. “Sapref must come back at 400,000 barrels per day or more.”
However, industry experts have cautioned that these plans may be unrealistic. Energy specialist Dr Rod Crompton said the Sapref purchase also transferred significant environmental liabilities to the state.
The refinery was damaged by flooding and was not repaired by its former owners. The government would first need to fix the site, restart operations, and then fund expensive CF2 upgrades.
He added that PetroSA’s weak financial and operational track record raises further doubts.
The push for cleaner diesel is also driven by health and environmental concerns. Diesel engines emit higher levels of harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and fine particles, which worsen air quality and increase health risks.
High sulphur levels also produce sulphur dioxide when burned, contributing to respiratory problems, acid rain, and engine corrosion. Reducing sulphur to 10ppm significantly lowers these risks.
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