Diesel price in South Africa: October 2026

What moved the diesel price

• The average Brent crude oil price rose from US$87.89 to US$101.00 a barrel, on continued US–Iran tensions, uncertainty over oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, higher shipping costs and falling inventories.
• International petrol, diesel and paraffin prices rose on supply shortages caused by lower global inventories.
• The rand was almost unchanged against the US dollar, at R16.21 on average.
• The slate levy rose by 4.38 c/l, from 83.28 c/l to 87.66 c/l.
• The quarterly review of the 93–95 octane differential means 93 and 95 petrol changed by different amounts this month.

What is in a delivered bulk price

A wholesale quote starts from the DMPR’s list price for your zone and adds what it costs to get the load to your tank. A good quote sets these parts out, so two quotes can be compared line by line.

• The wholesale list price: the official figure for the month and the pricing zone your site falls in, inland or coastal.
• Transport: the distance from the loading depot, the road, and whether the load fills the tanker. A full tanker costs less a litre to move than a part load.
• Delivery: the size of truck your site can take, metered and sealed delivery, and timed or after-hours slots.
• Volume and frequency: a scheduled monthly offtake earns a better rate than a once-off order.
• Payment terms: payment before delivery, or a fuel account once credit is approved.
• Validity: each quote states the date it holds until. Prices change on the first Wednesday of the month, so a quote that straddles an adjustment says which side of it you are on.

Whoever you buy from, ask for the quote in this form. A single all-in figure with no validity date is the one to be wary of.

How fuel prices are set in South Africa

Petrol, illuminating paraffin and residential LPG prices are regulated, and a wholesale list price is published for diesel. They change on the first Wednesday of every month, based on the previous month’s international prices and exchange rate. Each litre is made up of:

• The basic fuel price: what it would cost to import the product, from international prices, freight, insurance and handling.
• Taxes and levies: from 1 April 2026 the general fuel levy is R4.10/L on petrol and R3.93/L on diesel, and the Road Accident Fund levy is R2.25/L (IOL), plus the carbon levy and the slate levy.
• Transport: pipeline and road costs to inland zones, which is why Gauteng pays more than the coast.
• Margins: wholesale, storage and distribution, and for petrol the regulated retail margin.