Staff Reporter
The price of petrol will increase by R1.43 a litre from Wednesday, while diesel prices will drop substantially, the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources said on Monday.
The retail price of both 93 and 95 octane petrol will increase by R1.43 a litre, while the wholesale price of diesel with 0.05% sulphur will fall by R3.25 a litre, and diesel with 0.005% sulphur will decrease by R2.62 a litre.
Illuminating paraffin will drop by R5.96 a litre at wholesale level, while the maximum retail price of LPG will fall by 17 cents per kilogram in Gauteng.
The adjustment means inland motorists will pay R27.95 a litre for 93 octane petrol and R28.06 for 95 octane. At the coast, 93 octane will rise to R27.16 and 95 octane to R27.19.
Diesel prices, which are regulated at wholesale level, will fall to R27.92 a litre inland for 0.05% sulphur diesel and R29.26 for 0.005% sulphur diesel. Coastal wholesale diesel prices will fall to R27.05 and R28.00 respectively.
The department said average international product prices fell during the review period, with middle distillates such as diesel and paraffin declining more than petrol because of lower seasonal demand as the northern hemisphere moves into summer.
However, petrol consumers will still pay more because National Treasury is reducing the temporary general fuel levy relief introduced to cushion motorists from earlier fuel shocks. The relief has been cut by R1.50 a litre for petrol and R1.96 for diesel.
The rand strengthened slightly against the dollar during the review period, helping lower basic fuel price contributions. But the slate levy will rise to 157.74 cents a litre after the cumulative slate balance reached a negative R18.28 billion at the end of April.
INSIDE POLITICS
