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.
Archive Overview: Welcome to the central repository for official South African fuel price adjustments, monthly historical changes, daily Basic Fuel Price (BFP) indicators, and automated data distribution. This page serves as a historical record and navigational hub for publishers, analysts, fleet managers, and developers requiring verified fuel price context.
Need current prices or forecasts? Jump directly to petrol price today, check our Forecast engine, or calculate trip expenses with our calculate fuel cost tool.
Fuel Price Updates Archive: latest view
Understanding South African fuel price movements requires separating official monthly adjustments published by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) from daily market indicators tracked by the Central Energy Fund (CEF).
Official regulated pump prices change on the first Wednesday of every calendar month. Until a formal announcement is made by the DMPR, all published daily changes reflect expected over- or under-recoveries rather than final consumer pricing.
Official Effective Date : 2 September 2026 (Active)
Next Scheduled Update : 2 September 2026 (00:01 SAST)
Data Status : Confirmed via DMPR Gazette
Geographic Basis : National (Inland Zone 9C / Coastal Zone 1A)
The table below outlines the current verified official prices effective for September 2026:
| Fuel Grade | Region / Zone | Official Price | Monthly Adjustment | Status |
| 95 Unleaded Petrol (ULP) | Inland (Zone 9C) | R26.11 / litre | ↑ R1.34 / litre | Official Confirmed |
| 95 Unleaded Petrol (ULP) | Coastal (Zone 1A) | R26.05 / litre | ↑ R1.34 / litre | Official Confirmed |
| 93 Unleaded Petrol (ULP) | Inland (Zone 9C) | R26.76 / litre | ↑ R1.34 / litre | Official Confirmed |
| Diesel 0.005% (50ppm) | Inland (Wholesale) | R25.16 / litre | ↑ R3.15 / litre | Official Confirmed |
| Diesel 0.05% (500ppm) | Inland (Wholesale) | R29.11 / litre | ↑ R2.94 / litre | Official Confirmed |
| Illuminating Paraffin | Inland (Wholesale) | R18.85 / litre | ↓ R6.97 / litre | Official Confirmed |
For complete historical records, explore the fuel price updates 2026 repository or review full multi-year series on fuel price history South Africa.
Expected petrol, diesel and paraffin movement
In the weeks leading up to the official monthly adjustment, daily market movements create estimated over- or under-recovery figures. Monitoring these indicators provides critical lead time for commercial budget planning, fleet logistics, and retail pricing strategies.
Confirmed vs forecast movement
- Forecast Indicators: Updated daily based on rolling averages of Brent crude prices and the USD/ZAR exchange rate. They show expected trajectory but do not represent legal pump prices.
- Confirmed Adjustments: Published once monthly (typically the Monday before the first Wednesday) by government gazette. These figures set statutory maximum retail prices for petrol and wholesale benchmark prices for diesel.
Expected increase/decrease
During the monthly calculation window, daily over-recoveries signal a potential price drop at midnight on the effective date, while under-recoveries signal an incoming price increase.
- Petrol (93 & 95 ULP): Retail prices are strictly regulated nationwide by geographic zone.
- Diesel (50ppm & 500ppm): Set as official wholesale prices. Retail stations add varying service margins, resulting in minor pump-to-pump variance.
- Illuminating Paraffin: Regulated at wholesale levels, with a Single Maximum National Retail Price (SMNRP) applied to protect vulnerable consumers.
What is driving the change
South African fuel prices are governed by the Basic Fuel Price (BFP) mechanism, which links domestic fuel costs directly to international refined petroleum product prices and foreign exchange rates.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ BASIC FUEL PRICE (BFP) │
├───────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┤
│ International Refined Product │ USD / ZAR Exchange │
│ Prices (Crude/FOB) │ Rate │
└─────────────────┬─────────────────┴─────────────────┬──────────────────┘
│ │
└─────────────────┬─────────────────┘
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DOMESTIC LEVIES & MARGINS │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • General Fuel Levy (GFL) • Customs & Excise Duty │
│ • Road Accident Fund (RAF) Levy • Slate Levy Balance │
│ • Transport & Zone Tariffs • Wholesale & Retail Margins │
└───────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ FINAL PUMP / RETAIL PRICE │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Price drivers
- International Product Costs: FOB (Free on Board) prices for refined petrol, diesel, and paraffin from international refineries. Global crude shocks immediately alter daily BFP calculations.
- USD/ZAR Exchange Rate: Because petroleum products are traded in US Dollars, a weakening Rand increases the Rand-cost per litre, driving under-recoveries. Conversely, Rand strength cushions local consumers against global oil spikes.
- Government Levies and Tariffs: Domestic elements account for a substantial percentage of the pump price. Key taxes include the General Fuel Levy (GFL), Road Accident Fund (RAF) levy, Slate Levy balance adjustments, and zone-specific transport tariffs.
For deeper technical analysis on structural components, refer to Daily Basic Fuel Price and review fuel price trends South Africa.
Inland vs coastal impact
South Africa is divided into Magisterial District Zones (MDZs) to account for transport costs of fuel moving inland via pipelines, rail, and road networks from coastal ports.
[ Coastal Zone (1A) ] ─── Transport Tariffs + Pipeline Fees ───► [ Inland Zone (9C) ]
(Port Prices - e.g. CPT) (Gauteng Benchmark)
- Inland Zone (9C – Gauteng): Incurs transport tariffs from port entry points, making petrol and diesel higher in price compared to coastal areas.
- Coastal Zone (1A – Cape Town / Durban): Base location near coastal refineries and import terminals, eliminating inland transport cost additions.
Related current prices
When analyzing local price differences or historic trends, select the appropriate zone and fuel grade:
- Petrol Archives: Compare historic inland vs coastal pricing via 93 petrol price history and 95 petrol price history.
- Diesel Archives: Fleet operators should consult diesel 50ppm price history and diesel 500ppm price history.
- Specific Monthly Snapshots: Jump straight to child archives like petrol price September 2026, petrol price August 2026, diesel price September 2026, or diesel price August 2026.
Latest official fuel-price update
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources confirmed the official monthly adjustment effective 2 September 2026.
Source notes
- Primary Source Authority: Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) monthly press releases and Republic of South Africa Government Gazettes.
- Calculation Source: Central Energy Fund (CEF) SOC Ltd daily Basic Fuel Price over/under-recovery reports.
- Coverage Scope: National statutory prices for 93 ULP, 95 ULP, Diesel 0.05%, Diesel 0.005%, and Illuminating Paraffin.
Previous monthly changes
Tracking historical price trends enables businesses to model inflation impact, calculate operational variances, and optimize logistics expenditure.
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HISTORICAL TREND SNAPSHOT (INLAND 95 ULP) │
├───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┤
│ April 2026 │ May 2026 │ August 2026 │ September 2026 │
│ R23.36 / litre │ R26.63 / litre │ R25.58 / litre │ R26.11 / litre │
└───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┘
Historical analysis highlights notable extremes in South African energy costs:
- Record Peak Events: See analysis on highest petrol price South Africa and highest diesel price South Africa.
- Significant Drop Cycles: Review historical low points at lowest petrol price South Africa.
- Single-Month Volatility: Examine peak monthly shifts via biggest petrol price increase South Africa and biggest diesel price increase South Africa.
- Adjusted Analysis: For long-term economic context, visit petrol price adjusted for inflation South Africa and fuel price inflation adjusted South Africa.
To compare previous month data directly, view previous petrol price South Africa, last month diesel price South Africa, or query fuel price archive South Africa for yearly aggregates fuel price by year South Africa.
Commercial Data & API Services
For enterprise users, digital publishers, financial analysts, and fleet software platforms requiring programmatic access to South African fuel price data, PetrolPrice.co.za provides structured data integration paths.
┌───────────────────────────┐
│ PetrolPrice Data Hub │
└─────────────┬─────────────┘
│
┌────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
┌────────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐
│ REST API (JSON) │ │ CSV / Excel Downloads│ │ Daily Webhooks │
│ App & Web Services │ │ Enterprise BI Tools│ │ Fleet Alerts System│
└────────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘
API overview
The PetrolPrice Data API distributes real-time, historical, and daily calculated fuel price datasets. Built on standard RESTful architecture, it delivers lightweight JSON payloads suitable for mobile apps, fleet management software, accounting systems, and financial dashboards.
Endpoints
GET /v1/prices/current– Returns official active fuel prices across all grades and zones.GET /v1/prices/archive– Queries historical price records filtered by date range, fuel grade, or MDZ region.GET /v1/bfp/daily– Retrieves daily Central Energy Fund over/under-recovery indicators.GET /v1/forecast/latest– Fetches calculated monthly projection estimates based on current rolling averages.
Coverage
Data coverage encompasses all South African Magisterial District Zones (Inland 9C, Coastal 1A, and regional zones 1B through 14C), including:
- Petrol: 93 Unleaded, 95 Unleaded, LRP
- Diesel: 50ppm (0.005%), 500ppm (0.05%) wholesale benchmarks
- Illuminating Paraffin: Wholesale and SMNRP
- Historical depth: Continuous monthly records dating back to 1986.
Sample response
JSON
{
"status": "success",
"effective_date": "2026-07-01",
"next_update": "2026-08-05",
"currency": "ZAR",
"unit": "ZAR_per_litre",
"data": {
"zone": "9C_Inland",
"fuel_prices": [
{
"grade": "95_ULP",
"category": "Petrol",
"price": 26.11,
"change": -1.96,
"type": "official_retail"
},
{
"grade": "50ppm",
"category": "Diesel",
"price": 25.16,
"change": -3.59,
"type": "official_wholesale"
}
]
}
}
Update schedule
- Official Price Endpoints: Updated monthly immediately following DMPR publication (typically 18:00 SAST on the Monday prior to the first Wednesday).
- Daily BFP Endpoints: Refreshed daily at 11:00 SAST based on CEF market closing numbers.
Use cases
- fuel price data for fleet: Automate fuel card reconciliation, dynamic re-routing cost calculations, and distance-based rate adjustments.
- fuel price data for app: Power real-time consumer savings applications, rideshare driver earnings tools, and navigation fuel cost estimators.
- fuel price data for website: Embed auto-updating price tables, dynamic widgets, and local fuel charts into news media and financial sites.
- Offline Analytics: Analysts requiring manual spreadsheets can explore petrol price CSV download, diesel price data download, fuel price Excel South Africa, or compare fuel price API vs CSV.
Access CTA & Documentation CTA
Ready to integrate reliable South African fuel price data into your infrastructure?
- Explore technical parameters and authentication protocols via our current fuel price API and historical fuel price API documentation.
- Request developer API credentials or custom dataset exports on fuel price data South Africa.
- For bulk offline files, access the petrol and diesel price dataset or download the full South African fuel price dataset.
Methodology and disclaimer
Data Source Hierarchy:
1. DMPR Official Gazettes (Statutory Enforcement)
2. CEF Daily BFP Datasets (Market Indicators)
3. National Treasury Announcements (Levies & Fiscal Policy)
Methodology
PetrolPrice.co.za collects data directly from official statutory publications released by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) and daily calculation statements issued by the Central Energy Fund (CEF).
All data points pass through automated validation routines checking unit consistency (c/l vs R/l), zone classification accuracy, and fuel grade categorization before publication.
Disclaimer
- Historical price records and daily indicator updates on this platform are provided for informational, analytical, and budgeting purposes only.
- Daily Basic Fuel Price (BFP) figures represent estimated market over- or under-recoveries and do not constitute official regulated prices until confirmed by the DMPR.
- While every effort is made to guarantee absolute mathematical precision, PetrolPrice.co.za accepts no liability for decisions, financial contracts, or fleet billing cycles executed solely on preliminary forecast data.
Frequently asked questions
Is the fuel price updates archive confirmed yet?
Yes. The current entries in our archive reflect verified official price adjustments published by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) effective 2 September 2026. Mid-month figures shown for upcoming months reflect daily BFP estimates from the Central Energy Fund until official gazetting occurs.
What data should this page use for fuel price updates archive?
This hub combines official monthly DMPR gazetted prices, daily BFP indicators from the Central Energy Fund, historical zone pricing, and structured data feeds. It clearly distinguishes between statutory retail prices (petrol), official wholesale benchmarks (diesel), and daily forecast expectations.
When should the page be updated?
This hub is updated twice within each cycle:
- Daily: To refresh daily Basic Fuel Price over/under-recovery forecast indicators.
- Monthly: Immediately upon publication of the official DMPR monthly adjustment gazette.
How should increases and decreases be labelled?
All price adjustments on this platform are explicitly labelled with their operational status:
- Forecast/Estimate: Applied to rolling mid-month indicators (e.g., “Expected drop of 15 c/l”).
- Official/Effective: Applied only after government confirmation with exact implementation dates and unit labels in R/l or c/l (e.g., “Official cut of R1.07/l effective 2 September 2026”).
Related Tools & Resources
Stay updated and automate your fuel tracking:
- Calculators: Estimate commute or journey costs with our calculate fuel cost suite.
- Forecast Hub: View daily rolling calculations on fuel price forecast data South Africa.
- Alert Notifications: Sign up for instant SMS and email notifications at fuel price alerts South Africa.
- API Solutions: Discover how to integrate live data via fuel price data sources South Africa and daily fuel price data South Africa.