{"id":869359,"date":"2026-08-07T09:23:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T07:23:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=869359"},"modified":"2026-08-07T09:24:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T07:24:45","slug":"from-bad-to-worse-for-petrol-prices-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/energy\/869359\/from-bad-to-worse-for-petrol-prices-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"From bad to worse for petrol prices in September"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The latest data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) for the first week of August shows that motorists are lining up for pain in September, with a new flare-up in Iran adding to the pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the CEF’s data, the steep under-recovery at the beginning of the September review period has eased, cooling from around R1 per litre for petrol to about 50 cents per litre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diesel’s under-recovery has also receded, from around R5 per litre to around R3 per litre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the under-recovery remains, keeping motorists on the hook for a price hike in September if global oil markets don’t swing into more positive territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the latest market indicators and analysis are not painting a hopeful picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most notably, oil prices have continued to extend gains after a report that Iran attacked \u201chostile targets\u201d in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adding to the pressure, Tehran is seeking to bar United States ships from the critical waterway in a deal with Oman, while adding tolls for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has caused Brent crude to rise, once again, to above $84 a barrel, after surging almost 4% in the previous session\u2014the main cause of local under-recoveries in fuel prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are the recoveries at the end of the first week of August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n