The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has issued a strong warning about the growing problem of contaminated diesel and illegal fuel trading across the country.
Contaminated diesel is prevalent in South Africa – SARS
This warning follows major operations revealing how criminal groups are mixing fuels dishonestly and cheating the state out of large amounts of money.
According to a media release on Saturday, 14 June 2025, SARS said the illegal mixing of diesel with paraffin—called fuel adulteration—is becoming common. In simple terms, this means criminals are blending cheaper fuel like paraffin with diesel to sell it as full diesel.
The goal is to make more money by lowering the quality of the product and dodging fuel taxes.
This practice not only damages vehicle engines but also causes the government to lose tax revenue—about R3.6 billion each year.
SARS investigators uncovered that some fuel importers are claiming to bring in 40,000 litres, but actually bring in 60,000 litres.
This process, called “under-declaration,” uses false paperwork to mislead authorities.
In addition, several storage depots across the country have been caught altering fuel by adding paraffin—making it cheaper to produce, but not suitable for use in diesel engines.
“Criminal syndicates engaged in these brazen acts have become emboldened to act callously with no restraint in pursuit of their rapacious and criminal gains,” said SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter.
He warned that such actions damage the country’s economy and must be stopped.
In the last four months alone, authorities detained nearly 1 million litres of contaminated diesel and shut down six illegal fuel depots in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal.
In one surprising discovery, they even found a mobile “washroom” built into a truck—used to strip identifying markers from paraffin to make it appear as regular diesel.
SARS, together with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other law enforcement bodies, registered 13 criminal cases involving customs fraud and fuel law violations.
In total, the assets and fuel seized during the operations were worth over R367 million.
To carry out these operations, SARS worked closely with several government departments, including SAPS Crime Intelligence, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, and others under a task force called NATJOINTS.
SARS has vowed to continue fighting fuel fraud and promised that those involved will face criminal and civil action.
“These acts threaten the very foundation of our society,” Kieswetter said. “Our message is clear: we will spare no efforts to crush them.”
The agency is urging all parties—from other government bodies to private companies and citizens—to support this national effort to stop illegal fuel activities and protect South Africa’s economy and public safety.
