Fuel prices are currently tracking towards an increase of around 51 cents a litre for petrol in September 2026, based on the position as at 11 August 2026. The adjustment takes effect on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
This is an indication, not the final price. The figure moves every day until the pricing period closes at the end of the month, and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announces the actual change shortly before it takes effect.
Where each grade stands
What is driving it
At the time of this snapshot, the rand was trading at about R16.25 to the dollar and Brent crude was around $85.00 a barrel.
Two things move the fuel price: the international price of refined petrol and diesel, and the rand-dollar exchange rate. A weaker rand pushes the pump price up even when the oil price has not moved, because South Africa buys fuel in dollars.
What "over-recovery" and "under-recovery" mean
South African fuel prices are set monthly, in advance. During the month the actual cost of importing fuel drifts away from the price motorists are paying. That gap is tracked daily as a running total.
- Under-recovery means fuel is costing more to bring in than the current pump price covers, so the price is likely to go up.
- Over-recovery means the opposite, and points to a decrease.
How reliable is a mid-month figure?
It is a running average, so the earlier in the month it is taken, the more it can still move. A sharp swing in the rand or in oil markets during the last week of the month can change the outcome. Treat it as the direction of travel rather than a number to bank on - and note that the final price also depends on any change to the fuel levy or the slate levy, which are set separately.
This is an indication based on the published daily over/under recovery, not an official forecast. The final adjustment is announced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy shortly before it takes effect, and can differ from the position shown here.