Price pain for South African motorists driving home this week

South African holidaymakers are set to return home en masse, but the recent petrol price increase will add financial strain for motorists.

January saw the third consecutive month of fuel price increases.

This came after the rand depreciated against the US dollar during December, rising to R18.1120/$ compared to R17.9256/$ during the previous period.

The Central Energy Fund (CEF) added that average international product prices for petrol increased, even if the prices of diesel and illuminating paraffin decreased.

On Wednesday, 1 January, prices increased by 12 and 19 cents per litre for both 93 and 95 petrol, respectively, and between 7.50 and 10.50 cents per litre of diesel.

The inland and coastal price pressures can be found below:

Henry van der Merwe, Chairman of the South African Petroleum Retailers Association (SAPRA) said the fuel price increases will place additional strain on motorists, even if the reduction in illuminating paraffin prices will offer slight relief for households that rely on it for heating and lighting.

Van der Merwe said that the cumulative impact of consecutive increases is expected to drive up transport costs.

This could also lead to higher prices for goods and services, adding further pressure on already stretched consumer budgets.

“This adjustment is particularly challenging for businesses and consumers alike as we start a new year when consumer budgets are traditionally stretched after the festive period,” said Van der Merwe.

“We urge all South Africans to adapt their fuel usage wherever possible and explore ways to mitigate the effects of rising costs.”

“Holidaymakers travelling home will also need to factor in the extra increases.”

Returning home

Discovery Insure’s latest Drive Trends research, which includes data from 1 December to 31 January between 2021 and 2023, revealed that the most common road trip over the festive season in South Africa is from Johannesburg to Durban during the December months.

The report also showed that most people drive back to Joburg from Durban between January 2nd and 5th.

Most people return from Durban on 2 January (which is today), making it the busiest day on the roads to drive back to Johannesburg.

“If possible, delay your return trip by a few days. As we get closer to 7 January, our data shows there are half as many cars on the road as on 2 January,” said Robert Attwell, Discovery Insure CEO.

“In the week after 7 January, there are historically only 10% as many cars as on the day after New Year’s Day. If you can work remotely or extend your stay to avoid the traffic, you can significantly reduce your accident risk and arrive home safe.”

Read: Richest people in South Africa at the end of 2024 – gaining R7.3 billion a month since January