By Charmaine Ndlela
Consumers will have to dig deeper into their pockets as the price of petrol is set to increase by 20 cents a litre from Wednesday.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources said both grades of petrol would rise by 20 cents per litre.
ALSO READ: Mosikili: PKTT couldn’t be disbanded without demobilisation plan
Petrol 93 (ULP and LRP) will increase by 20 cents per litre, while Petrol 95 (ULP and LRP) will also go up by 20 cents per litre.
Both grades of diesel will see steeper hikes at the wholesale level. Diesel (0.05% sulphur) will increase by 62 cents per litre, while Diesel (0.005% sulphur) will rise by 65 cents per litre, the statement said.
The price of illuminating paraffin (wholesale) will increase by 44 cents per litre, while the Single Maximum National Retail Price (SMNRP) for illuminating paraffin will rise by 58 cents per litre.
The maximum retail price of LPGas will increase by 23 cents per kilogram, while the increase will be 26 cents per kilogram in the Western Cape, where LPGas is imported through the Port of Saldanha Bay.
ALSO READ: Zille says DA must capitalise on ‘out-of-touch’ ANC as Gauteng water crisis fuels election fight
The Road Freight Association (RFA) has warned consumers to brace for higher costs at the till following the increases.
“The increase in fuel prices in March 2026 is a direct result of upward pressure on the international price of oil due to both supply and logistics risks following the start of hostilities between Iran, the US, and Israel. The Road Freight Association has noted with both dismay and concern that the price of diesel is increasing between R0.60 and R0.65 per litre,” said Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association.
