The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced the official fuel prices for the month of May. And to the relief of many South Africans, a small decrease can be expected for petrol vehicles.
The fuel price adjustments are still taking into account the emergency interventions that were set by the National Treasury and the Energy Department.
Thus, prices will be calculated as per the reduced General Fuel Levy – which will be reduced by R1.50 until 31 May 2022. And so, the total fuel levy will remain R2.44 a litre for petrol and R2.30 for diesel for this month.
May petrol price increases and decreases are as follows:
- Petrol 95 – decrease of 12 cents per litre
- Petrol 93 – Decrease of 12 cents per litre
- Diesel 0.05% – Increase of 98 cents per litre
- Diesel 0.005% – Increase of 98 cents per litre
- Illuminating Paraffin – Increase of 80 cents per litre
According to the department, the rand/dollar exchange rate and the fluctuating oil price are the main reasons for the price changes.
The average price of Brent crude oil went from $109.37 a barrel in March to $104.78 a barrel in April. This fluctuation is mostly due to the ongoing Ukraine/Russia conflict as well as the latest Covid-19 lockdowns in China.
The new prices will take effect on Wednesday 4 May.
This is how the price changes will reflect at the pumps:
| Inland | April official | May official |
|---|---|---|
| 95 Petrol | R21.96 | R21.84 |
| 93 Petrol | R21.63 | R21.51 |
| 0.05% diesel (wholesale) | R21.01 | R21.99 |
| 0.005% diesel (wholesale) | R21.24 | R22.16 |
| Illuminating Paraffin | R15.84 | R16.64 |
| Coastal | April official | May official |
|---|---|---|
| 95 Petrol | R21.24 | R21.09 |
| 93 Petrol | R21.01 | R20.86 |
| 0.05% diesel (wholesale) | R20.40 | R21.34 |
| 0.005% diesel (wholesale) | R20.64 | R21.52 |
| Illuminating Paraffin | R15.03 | R15.85 |