Official figures — October 2026. These are the confirmed prices published by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR), effective Wednesday, 7 October 2026. Petrol 93 rose 312 c/l, petrol 95 rose 333 c/l, diesel 500ppm rose 284 c/l, diesel 50ppm rose 324 c/l and illuminating paraffin rose 358 c/l. The previous official prices took effect on 2 September 2026.
The yearly average price of Petrol 95 inland has risen from R11.56 per litre in 2012 to R24.80 so far in 2026. The table below gives the yearly average for each main fuel.
Fuel Price By Year South Africa overview
A yearly average smooths out the monthly swings and makes long-term comparisons easier. Each figure is the simple average of the official monthly prices in that year for the Gauteng inland zone.
Yearly average price by fuel
| Year | Petrol 95 | Petrol 93 | Diesel 500ppm | Diesel 50ppm | Paraffin |
| 2012 | R11.56 | R11.37 | R10.75 | R10.80 | R8.08 |
| 2013 | R12.92 | R12.70 | R11.99 | R12.04 | R9.17 |
| 2014 | R13.84 | R13.62 | R12.70 | R12.75 | R9.76 |
| 2015 | R12.41 | R12.15 | R10.77 | R10.83 | R7.23 |
| 2016 | R12.63 | R12.35 | R10.64 | R10.68 | R6.73 |
| 2017 | R13.63 | R13.39 | R11.74 | R11.79 | R7.42 |
| 2018 | R15.42 | R15.19 | R13.95 | R14.00 | R9.14 |
| 2019 | R15.73 | R15.48 | R14.40 | R14.45 | R9.21 |
| 2020 | R14.75 | R14.50 | R12.93 | R12.98 | R7.06 |
| 2021 | R17.56 | R17.36 | R15.14 | R15.17 | R9.25 |
| 2022 | R22.80 | R22.48 | R22.35 | R22.51 | R16.22 |
| 2023 | R23.14 | R22.76 | R21.52 | R21.75 | R15.77 |
| 2024 | R23.12 | R22.77 | R20.58 | R20.73 | R14.79 |
| 2025 | R21.66 | R21.51 | R19.47 | R19.54 | R13.33 |
| 2026 (to October) | R24.80 | R24.65 | R25.19 | R25.53 | R19.37 |
Year-on-year change
| Year | Petrol 95 | Diesel 500ppm |
| 2013 | +11.7% | +11.5% |
| 2014 | +7.1% | +5.9% |
| 2015 | -10.3% | -15.2% |
| 2016 | +1.7% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | +8.0% | +10.4% |
| 2018 | +13.1% | +18.8% |
| 2019 | +2.0% | +3.2% |
| 2020 | -6.3% | -10.2% |
| 2021 | +19.1% | +17.1% |
| 2022 | +29.8% | +47.6% |
| 2023 | +1.5% | -3.7% |
| 2024 | -0.1% | -4.4% |
| 2025 | -6.3% | -5.4% |
| 2026 | +14.5% | +29.4% |
The largest yearly jump for petrol was in 2022. Yearly averages fell in 2015, 2020 and 2025, and were almost flat in 2024.
Historical coverage and update frequency
Source and coverage: Prices are the official monthly figures published for the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, as tabulated by the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa. This page covers January 2012 to October 2026. Petrol figures are regulated pump prices; diesel and paraffin figures are wholesale prices, so pump prices for diesel vary by station.
The 2026 row covers January to October and will change as the remaining months are added.
How to use the data
Use yearly averages for budgets, contract escalations and reimbursement rates. For month-by-month figures, see the petrol price history and diesel price history pages.
Related history and forecast pages
- Petrol price today
- Petrol price history South Africa
- Diesel price history South Africa
- Petrol price history chart
- Fuel price updates archive
- Petrol price prediction
Frequently asked questions
Which year had the highest average petrol price?
So far 2026, at R24.80 per litre for Petrol 95 inland, ahead of 2023 at R23.14.
Which year had the lowest?
2012, the first year in this record, at R11.56 per litre.
Where do these figures come from?
From the official monthly price announcements made for the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, as tabulated by the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa. This page covers January 2012 onwards.