This is how much South Africans will save on a tank of petrol this week

 ·4 Dec 2023

South African motorists are set to pay notably less to fill up their cars from Wednesday (6 December), with the cost of petrol coming down by 65 cents per litre while diesel will be going down by between R2.35 and R2.41 a litre.

According to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the decreases in December are mainly attributable to declining international petroleum prices, while the rand appreciated against the US Dollar during the period under review, on average, compared to the previous period.

Diesel and Illuminating paraffin prices declined more than petrol because of increased production of middle distillates by refiners to cater for the expected increase in demand during the upcoming winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.

As of Wednesday, inland 95 octane petrol costs R23.25/l, while at the coast, it costs R22.07/l, factoring in the slate levy and other costs. Diesel 0.005% will cost R21.99/l, while at the coast, it costs R21.30/l.

Notably, however, is that in line with the application of the Regulatory Accounting System (RAS), the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy approved a net increase of 60.1 c/l in the annual margin adjustments on petrol and a net increase of 13.88 c/l on diesel and illuminating paraffin wholesale prices, with effect from the 6th of December 2023.

While a decrease in petrol prices is a welcomed relief for motorists, fuel prices have still increased significantly since the start of the year, with petrol prices increasing by 8.6%. Diesel, meanwhile, has increased by 2.6%, although this was recorded at closer to 20% just two months ago.

The table below shows the latest pump prices as of December 2023.

InlandNovember OfficialDecember Official
93 PetrolR23.44R22.79
95 PetrolR23.90R23.25
Diesel 0.05% (wholesale)R24.17R21.82
Diesel 0.005% (wholesale)R24.40R21.99

The tables below show how much you pay to fill up your car’s tank with petrol and diesel inland in December compared to November 2023.

Petrol

Tank size93 unleadedSaving95 unleadedSaving
37 litresR843.23–R24.05R860.25–R24.05
45 litresR1 025.55–R29.25R1 046.25–R29.25
60 litresR1 367.40–R39.00R1 395.00–R39.00
80 litresR1 823.20 –R52.00R1 860.00–R52.00

Diesel

Tank sizeDiesel 0.05%Saving Diesel 0.005%Saving
37 litresR894.29–R86.95R902.80–R89.17
45 litresR1 087.65 –R105.75R1 098.00–R108.45
60 litresR1 450.20 –R141.00R1 464.00–R144.60
80 litresR1 933.60–R188.00R1 952.00–R192.80

While it is impossible to accurately track exactly how much petrol you will consume due to traffic and road quality, it is possible to get a rough estimate of how these petrol prices will impact your current petrol allowance based on manufacturer estimates.

Below, BusinessTech looks at how much it will cost you to travel 100km right now in some of the country’s best-selling cars compared to last month.


Toyota Hilux 2.4GD-6 double cab Raider

  • 7.1 litres/100km*
  • R155/100km
  • Change: –R17

Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT double cab

  • 6.9 litres/100km*
  • R151/100km
  • Change: –R16

Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Xi

  • 6.8 litres/100km
  • R158/100km
  • Change: –R5

Isuzu D-Max 1.9TD double cab

  • 7.3 litres/100km*
  • R159/100km
  • Change: –R17

VW Polo Vivo hatch 1.4 Trendline

  • 5.7 litres/100km
  • R146.37/100km
  • Change: –R3

Toyota Hiace 2.7 Ses-fikile 16-seater

  • 14.3 litres/100km
  • R334/100km
  • Change: –R8

Toyota Starlet 1.5 Xi

  • 5.4 litres/100km
  • R126/100km
  • Change: –R3

Suzuki Swift 1.2 GA

  • 4.9 litres/100km
  • R114/100km
  • Change: –R3

Nissan NP200 1.6i safety pack

  • 8.1 litres/100km
  • R188/100km
  • Change: –R6

Toyota Fortuner 2.4GD-6

  • 6.8 litres/100km*
  • R148/100km
  • Change: –R16

*Indicates a car has a diesel engine. 

All prices are estimates based on the manufacturer’s average fuel consumption per/100km.

The manufacturer’s least expensive double-cab, SUV, Crossover, and hatchback models were considered in each case. 95 octane (R23.25) and 0.05% diesel price (R21.82) as of December 2023 were used for comparison purposes.


Read: South Africans have been pushed to the brink

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