In January 2009, a litre of 95 petrol was R6.01 in Gauteng. Today, 95 petrol sits at R17.32 per litre.
This sharp increase in just over 10 years is the result of a combination of factors, according to the Department of Energy and automotive experts.
Key contributors to the sharp increase in pricing are the weakness of the rand against the US dollar, fluctuating oil prices, and increases in government taxes.
Taxes make up a substantial portion of petrol prices in the country, with motorists paying R6.26 to the government per litre of 95 petrol.
A breakdown of the fuel taxes, using 95 petrol, are detailed below:
- Fuel Levy – R3.93 per litre
- Road Accident Fund Levy – R2.18 per litre
- Customs and Excise – 4 cents per litre
- Demand-Side Management Levy – 10 cents per litre
- Other Levies – 1 cent per litre
To put this into context: for a car which uses a 50-litre tank, filling it up will see you pay R313 in taxes. This is out of a total price of R866.
Rand weakness has also contributed to the increase in fuel prices. In June 2011, the rand was at R6.70 versus the US dollar.
Today, the rand is at R14.50 to the dollar, having peaked at over R19.00 in 2020.
Inland Price of 95 Petrol – Price Chart
The interactive graph on the link below provides an overview of 95 petrol pricing in South Africa from January 2008 to April 2021.
To see pricing on a specific date, tap or hover your cursor over a data point.
Pricing was sourced from the AA website, which hosts pricing information for 93 petrol, 95 petrol, LRP petrol, and diesel – at inland and coastal pricing.