Official figures — September 2026. These are the confirmed prices published by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR), effective Wednesday, 2 September 2026. Petrol 93 and 95 both rose 134 c/l, diesel 500ppm rose 294 c/l, diesel 50ppm rose 315 c/l and illuminating paraffin rose 213 c/l. The previous official prices took effect on 5 August 2026.
The September 2026 fuel-price cycle is projected to bring increases across every major petroleum product, effective Wednesday, 2 September 2026. Petrol 93 rises 96 c/l and petrol 95 rises 107 c/l, while diesel carries a far steeper increase of 271 c/l on 500ppm and 292 c/l on 50ppm. This reverses the mixed picture of August, when petrol fell while diesel rose.
Fuel Price Update September 2026: official changes at a glance
- Petrol 93: 96 c/l increase, to R26.76 inland and R25.97 coastal
- Petrol 95: 107 c/l increase, to R26.92 inland and R26.05 coastal
- Diesel 0.05% (500ppm): 271 c/l increase, to R29.11 inland and R28.24 coastal
- Diesel 0.005% (50ppm): 292 c/l increase, to R29.56 inland and R28.68 coastal
- Effective date: Wednesday, 2 September 2026
- Status: Official adjustment confirmed by the DMPR
When the September fuel prices take effect
Adjustments come into operation on the first Wednesday of the month, which falls on 2 September 2026. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources publishes the confirmed schedule at the start of the cycle.
Petrol increases alongside steeper diesel increases
Unlike August, when petrol fell 52 c/l while diesel rose, both fuels move upward this cycle. The gap between them is wide: diesel rises roughly three times as much as petrol, because the underlying shortage is in distillate refining capacity rather than in crude oil supply.
Petrol price changes for September 2026
Petrol 93 price change
Petrol 93 increased by 96 c/l, taking the inland pump price to R26.76 per litre and the coastal price to R25.97 per litre.
Petrol 95 price change
Petrol 95 increased by 107 c/l, taking the inland pump price to R26.92 per litre and the coastal price to R26.05 per litre.
Inland and coastal petrol prices
| Product | August Price | September Price | Monthly Change |
| Inland Petrol 93 | R25.42 | R26.76 | +134 c/l |
| Inland Petrol 95 | R25.58 | R26.92 | +134 c/l |
| Coastal Petrol 93 | R24.63 | R25.97 | +134 c/l |
| Coastal Petrol 95 | R24.71 | R26.05 | +134 c/l |
Diesel and paraffin price changes
Diesel 0.05% sulphur
The 500ppm wholesale reference rose 271 c/l to R29.11 per litre inland and R28.24 per litre coastal.
Diesel 0.005% sulphur
The 50ppm wholesale reference rose 292 c/l to R29.56 per litre inland and R28.68 per litre coastal. This is the largest single movement of the cycle.
| Diesel Grade & Zone | August Price | September Price | Monthly Change |
| 50ppm Inland | R26.41 | R29.56 | +315 c/l |
| 50ppm Coastal | R25.53 | R28.68 | +315 c/l |
| 500ppm Inland | R26.17 | R29.11 | +294 c/l |
| 500ppm Coastal | R25.30 | R28.24 | +294 c/l |
Illuminating paraffin wholesale and SMNRP
No September projection has been published for illuminating paraffin. The last confirmed wholesale prices are R20.89 per litre inland and R19.84 per litre coastal, effective 5 August 2026. The Single Maximum National Retail Price is published alongside the wholesale figure in the official schedule. This section is updated when the DMPR release is gazetted.
LPG price change for September 2026
LPGas maximum retail prices are set monthly by region and are published in the same official schedule. No September projection has been issued for LPG, since Central Energy Fund under-recovery data covers petrol, diesel and paraffin rather than liquefied petroleum gas. See our LPG price South Africa page, which is updated when the official figures are released.
Inland versus coastal fuel prices
Inland prices remain higher because product must be moved from the coastal ports into the interior by pipeline and rail. The zone differentials are unchanged this cycle:
- Petrol 95: inland is 87 c/l higher than coastal
- Petrol 93: inland is 79 c/l higher than coastal
- Diesel (both grades): inland is 87 c/l higher than coastal
What is causing the September 2026 fuel-price adjustment?
Firmer crude-oil prices
Brent crude firmed over the review period, holding in the upper US$80-per-barrel range after averaging around US$82 in the previous cycle. Renewed geopolitical tension in key shipping corridors sustained a risk premium.
A global squeeze on diesel refining capacity
The defining feature of this cycle is distillate-specific. Disruption to Russian refinery output and sanctions pressure on Iranian exports tightened global diesel supply, widening refining margins on diesel far beyond those on petrol. This is why the two fuels diverge so sharply.
A broadly stable rand
The rand held comparatively steady against the US dollar, so currency movement contributed little either way. The adjustment is driven almost entirely by international product costs.
The Slate Levy rose
The slate levy was cut from 113.94 c/l to 61.38 c/l in August, and that reduction did much of the work in delivering August’s petrol decrease. In September it reversed direction, rising 21.90 c/l to 83.28 c/l. Rather than cushioning the adjustment, it contributed to it.
How September compares with August 2026
| Product | August Change | September Change |
| Petrol 93 | -52 c/l | +134 c/l |
| Petrol 95 | -52 c/l | +134 c/l |
| Diesel 500ppm | +138 c/l | +294 c/l |
| Diesel 50ppm | +123 c/l | +315 c/l |
For the full month-by-month record see the fuel price updates archive, or compare against fuel price update August 2026.
Methodology and source notes
South African fuel prices are adjusted on the first Wednesday of every month by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, based on the Basic Fuel Price, the rand-to-US-dollar exchange rate, and domestic elements including the General Fuel Levy, the Road Accident Fund levy, transport differentials and the slate levy. Petrol carries a regulated retail ceiling; diesel and paraffin figures are wholesale baselines, and retail margins on those products are deregulated.
- Official Adjustment: Confirmed increase across petrol and diesel
- Effective Date: 2 September 2026
- Data Source: Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) official release
- Previous Cycle: DMPR official prices effective 5 August 2026
- Last Updated: 1 September 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is petrol increasing or decreasing in September 2026?
Petrol increased, by 96 c/l on 93 and 107 c/l on 95, reversing August’s 52 c/l decrease.
How much is diesel increasing in September 2026?
By a projected 271 c/l on 500ppm and 292 c/l on 50ppm, roughly three times the petrol increase.
When do the September fuel prices take effect?
From Wednesday, 2 September 2026, in line with the standard first-Wednesday cycle.
Are these figures official?
Yes. These are the official figures published by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, effective 2 September 2026.
Are diesel pump prices regulated?
No. Only petrol carries a legally mandated retail ceiling. Diesel figures are wholesale baselines and each station sets its own retail margin, so pump prices vary between outlets.
Why is diesel rising so much more than petrol?
Because the shortage is in distillate refining capacity rather than crude oil. Global refinery disruption tightened diesel supply far more than petrol supply, widening diesel refining margins specifically.