Calls mount for fuel levy cut as petrol breaches historic R30 mark

October 6, 2026

The Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA) is calling on government to urgently reinstate a temporary fuel levy reduction as petrol prices breach the historic R30 a litre mark.

The call comes as both grades of petrol are set to rise by between R3.12 and R3.33 per litre from midnight, while diesel will increase by between R2.84 and R3.24 per litre. In Gauteng and other inland areas, 95-octane petrol will rise to R30.25 a litre.

MISA says the government has previously intervened to cushion customers, after Treasury cut the general fuel levy by R3 a litre and temporarily reduced the diesel levy to zero in April.

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources says higher international oil prices, supply shortages and uncertainty over oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz are driving the latest increases.

The average Brent crude oil price rose from 87 dollars to around 101 dollars a barrel during the period under review.

The association says workers are being crushed by rising fuel, electricity, and food costs.

MISA spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, says relief is not optional, but a matter of survival.

“Just a month ago, MISA warned that fuel prices were driving workers below the survival line, with transport and electricity already consuming 65.8% of a minimum wage before food is even bought, as confirmed by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD). This latest increase lands on households with nothing left to absorb it.”

Hlubi-Majola is calling for urgent engagement at NEDLAC to review the levies and margins built into the price of every litre of fuel.

Meanwhile, COSATU says the latest increases are worsening an already severe cost-of-living crisis, with workers spending up to 30% of their wages on transport.

COSATU Parliamentary spokesperson, Matthew Parks, says the increases could fuel inflation, contribute to higher interest rates and put further pressure on indebted households.

The National Taxi Alliance (NTA), meanwhile, says the impact is likely to be felt directly by commuters.

NTA spokesperson, Theo Malele, says taxi fares are likely increase in response to the fuel hike.

Malele however says the industry will first engage government and other stakeholders before determining the extent of any fare increase.

“I am hopeful that some semblance will come out of these engagements and should that not be the case, I cannot either then say we won’t be increasing the taxi fares until I meet with the collective of the industry and then deliberate on these issues and look at all the aspects affecting our costing in our business so that we can then inform a correct margin.”

Calls mount for fuel levy cut as petrol breaches historic R30 mark Lindiwe Mpanza

Economist, Dawie Roodt, has advised consumers to budget carefully and plan ahead.

He says households should also set aside money for unforeseen expenses.

“If you have a job in South Africa, you should consider yourself to be quite lucky and make sure you keep your job, and you do not lose your job. But I do know that many people, in fact, I’ve already heard this, many people are looking at government again and trying to get the state to reduce taxes and to subsidise or somehow cushion this blow. The state simply does not have capacity.”

Roodt says while reducing taxes on fuel can be done, other taxes must then be increased or state expenditure reduced.

“So in the end, it is the individual, it is the household that must make sure that they manage their own finances as well as is absolutely possible. And it is also our responsibility to get political leaders to implement the right policies to get this economy to grow, because in the end, that is the only thing that is going to save us from poverty and unemployment.”

Calls mount for fuel levy cut as petrol breaches historic R30 mark Lindiwe Mpanza

Fuel Price Adjustments Effective 7 October 2026 https://t.co/fa51B2Uhyc

— Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources ‏ (@DMPR_ZA) October 5, 2026

…oh, and just remember that these unexpected and sudden fuel price hikes are a huge windfall to this useless, lying, looting @MYANC @GovernmentZA…taxes and levies account for ~30%-43% of the retail petrol price in SA depending on the specific date and calculation method used.

— Robert James Hickson (@PositivelyNot) October 6, 2026