Petrol prices are set to drop from Wednesday, 7 May 2025, following lower international fuel costs despite a weaker South African rand.
Fuel prices in South Africa: Official adjustments from Wednesday, 7 May 2025
PLEASE NOTE: The petrol price adjustments listed below are directly quoted from the Department of Energy’s monthly press release. Despite our best efforts to ensure accurate reporting, it is still the sole responsibility of the reader to double-check petrol prices. Swisher Post, its parent company, partners and affiliates shall not be held liable for any consequence that arises from the journalistic duties performed in sharing this content.
Here’s a look at the official fuel price adjustments for May:
Inland
| TYPE | PRICE (p/l) | CHANGE |
| Petrol 95 | R21.40 | -R0.22 |
| Petrol 93 | R21.29 | -R0.22 |
| Diesel 0.05%* | R20.26 | -R0.42 |
| Diesel 0.005%* | R18.94 | -R0.41 |
Coastal
| TYPE | PRICE (p/l) | CHANGE |
| Petrol 95 | R20.61 | -R0.22 |
| Petrol 93 | R20.50 | -R0.22 |
| Diesel 0.05%* | R18.27 | -R0.42 |
| Diesel 0.005%* | R18.18 | -R0.41 |
Factors impacting fuel prices in May 2025
According to the Central Energy Fund (CEF), two main factors influenced this month’s changes:
- International Product Prices: There was a drop in the average international prices for petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin. This contributed positively to the final price adjustment.
- Exchange Rate: The average exchange rate for the period under review (28 March to 1 May 2025) was R18.83 to the US dollar, compared to R18.30 in the previous cycle. This depreciation added upward pressure of around 29 to 30 cents per litre across fuel types.
Despite the weaker rand, the reduction in global fuel prices was enough to result in overall decreases at the pump for most fuel products.
The Slate Levy remains at 0 cents per litre, as the cumulative slate balance has not triggered a charge.
For LPGAS users, the price hike is linked to refinery gate cost adjustments, which are now set at R14,458.52 per metric ton, excluding VAT.
What goes into the final retail price of fuel in South Africa?
Determining the final retail price of petrol in South Africa relies heavily on the rand’s performance in currency markets and oil price movements.
Using this information, the CEF can formulate basic fuel price (BFP) estimates which, in essence, offer South African importers a snapshot into the cost of buying petrol from an international refinery, transporting the product and ensuring it against possible losses at sea and on land.
However, before the retail price of petrol is finalised at petrol stations, several additional costs are included in the BFP:
Government levies
- IP tracer levy (reimbursement to the oil industry for buying IP tracer dye and injecting it into IP to curtail the mixing of IP and diesel)
- General Fuel levy (tax levied by the government)
- Slate levy (to finance the cumulative under-recovery of the industry)
- RAF levy (to compensate for people involved in road crashes and accidents)
- Petroleum products levy (reimbursement to the pipeline users for the applicable NERSA tariff on transporting fuel through the pipeline)
Additional costs
- Wholesale margin (markup to the price of a product to account for wholesaling costs)
- Service cost recoveries
- Storage, handling and delivery costs
- Distribution costs
- Dealers margin (commission to the fuel pump dealers for retail operation)
- Zone differential (applicable to inland regions)
- Customs and excise duty
Petrol price adjustments are generally made on the first Wednesday of every month by the Department of Energy.