Guide
Fuel prices in South Africa: October 2026 and the next adjustment
Official October 2026 petrol, diesel, paraffin and LPG prices in South Africa, why they rose, and when the next change is due.
This month's prices
These prices took effect on Wednesday 7 October 2026 and come from the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) fuel price schedule. "Gauteng" is zone 9C and "coast" is zone 1A in that schedule; other towns have their own zone prices.
| Grade | Change | Official price from 7 October |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol 93 (ULP and LRP) | +312 c/l | Gauteng R29.88/l, coast R29.01/l (pump) |
| Petrol 95 (ULP and LRP) | +333 c/l | Gauteng R30.25/l, coast R29.38/l (pump) |
| Diesel 0.05% sulphur | +284.38 c/l | Gauteng R31.95/l, coast R31.08/l (wholesale) |
| Diesel 0.005% sulphur | +324.38 c/l | Gauteng R32.80/l, coast R31.93/l (wholesale) |
| Illuminating paraffin | +358 c/l | Gauteng R24.47/l, coast R23.42/l (wholesale) |
| Illuminating paraffin, maximum retail (loose, own container) | +477 c/l | R31.82/l countrywide |
| LPG, maximum retail | +42 c/kg (+48 c/kg for Saldanha Bay imports) | Gauteng R37.81/kg, coast R34.56/kg, Saldanha Bay imports R37.08/kg |
Petrol pump prices are fixed by regulation for each zone. For diesel and paraffin the DMPR publishes wholesale prices, not pump prices, so what a station charges will differ.
When prices change next
The next adjustment is expected on Wednesday 4 November 2026, the first Wednesday of the month. The current paraffin and LPG maximum prices are set for the period ending 3 November 2026.
Early data, not a forecast: the Central Energy Fund (CEF) snapshot for 9 October 2026 showed average under-recoveries since 2 October of 301.25 c/l for 95 petrol, 287.58 c/l for 93, 159.70 c/l for 0.05% diesel, 176.38 c/l for 0.005% diesel and 374.87 c/l for paraffin. An under-recovery means prices sit below what international prices and the exchange rate imply; the official mechanism corrects it the following month. The figures move daily (a day earlier, 95 petrol was at 335.48 c/l) and exclude any levy changes.
Why prices moved
The DMPR and CEF gave these reasons for the period 28 August to 1 October 2026:
- Crude oil: average Brent rose from US$87.89 to US$101, which the department linked to US/Iran tensions, uncertainty over oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, higher shipping costs and falling inventories.
- Product prices: international petrol, diesel and paraffin prices rose on supply shortages, adding 329.07 c/l to the basic fuel price of petrol, 280.17 c/l to diesel and 357.23 c/l to paraffin.
- Exchange rate: the rand barely moved (R16.212 to the dollar against R16.213), trimming less than 1 c/l per product.
- Slate levy: up 4.38 c/l to 87.66 c/l on petrol and diesel, with the combined slate at a negative R10.45 billion at the end of August.
- 95 versus 93: the quarterly octane adjustment widened the gap. In Gauteng, 93 is now 37c a litre cheaper than 95, against 16c in September.
The general fuel levy (R4.29 a litre on petrol, R4.16 on diesel) and the Road Accident Fund levy (R2.25) were unchanged.
What it means for a household
- A 50-litre tank of 95 in Gauteng costs R1,512.50, up R166.50 from R1,346.00 in September. On the coast it costs R1,469.00, also R166.50 more.
- 50 litres of 93 in Gauteng costs R1,494.00, up R156.00. Choosing 93 over 95 saves R18.50 a tank, where the vehicle's manufacturer allows 93.
- Four 50-litre tanks of 95 a month cost R666.00 more than in September.
- The diesel wholesale increase alone adds R142.19 to 50 litres of 0.05% diesel; how much reaches the pump depends on the station.
- 20 litres of loose paraffin at the maximum retail price costs R636.40, up R95.40.
- A 9 kg LPG refill at the Gauteng maximum costs R340.29, up R3.78.