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 293 c/l, diesel 50ppm rose 314 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 brought increases across every major petroleum product, effective Wednesday, 2 September 2026. Petrol 93 and petrol 95 both rose 134 c/l, while diesel carries a far steeper increase of 293 c/l on 500ppm and 314 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: 134 c/l increase, to R26.76 inland and R25.89 coastal
- Petrol 95: 134 c/l increase, to R26.92 inland and R26.05 coastal
- Diesel 0.05% (500ppm): 293 c/l increase, to R29.11 inland and R28.24 coastal
- Diesel 0.005% (50ppm): 314 c/l increase, to R29.56 inland and R28.68 coastal
- LPG: 69 c/kg increase (79 c/kg in the Western Cape), to R37.39/kg inland and R34.14/kg 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 more than twice 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 134 c/l, taking the inland pump price to R26.76 per litre and the coastal price to R25.89 per litre.
Petrol 95 price change
Petrol 95 increased by 134 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 | R24.55 | R25.89 | +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 293 c/l to R29.11 per litre inland and R28.24 per litre coastal.
Diesel 0.005% sulphur
The 50ppm wholesale reference rose 314 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 | +314 c/l |
| 50ppm Coastal | R25.53 | R28.68 | +314 c/l |
| 500ppm Inland | R26.17 | R29.11 | +293 c/l |
| 500ppm Coastal | R25.30 | R28.24 | +293 c/l |
Illuminating paraffin wholesale and SMNRP
Illuminating paraffin rose 213 c/l at wholesale, to R20.89 per litre inland and R19.84 per litre coastal. The Single Maximum National Retail Price (SMNRP), the most a retailer may legally charge, rose 284 c/l to R27.05 per litre. The SMNRP is a single national price and does not vary by zone.
LPG price change for September 2026
The LPG maximum retail price rose by 69 c/kg nationally and by 79 c/kg in the Western Cape, effective 2 September 2026. That takes the maximum retail price to R37.39 per kilogram in Gauteng and the inland zones, and R34.14 per kilogram at the coast. Unlike petrol, the LPG figure is a maximum: a retailer may charge less, but not more. See our LPG price South Africa page for cylinder-by-cylinder refill costs.
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 87 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 | +293 c/l |
| Diesel 50ppm | +123 c/l | +314 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 134 c/l on both 93 and 95, reversing August’s 52 c/l decrease.
How much is diesel increasing in September 2026?
By 293 c/l on 500ppm and 314 c/l on 50ppm, more than twice 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.