South Africa Fuel Price Cut November 2026: What We Know
Official November 2026 fuel prices had not been published by 08:23 SAST on October 31. CEF data to October 29 and a temporary levy cut point to cheaper petrol and diesel from Wednesday, November 4, but dearer paraffin.
- As of 08:23 SAST on October 31, 2026, the DMPR had not published its official November fuel prices; the change is due on Wednesday, November 4.
- Projections from CEF data to October 29 point to petrol about 33c (93) to 49c (95) a litre cheaper and diesel R1.58 to R1.68 cheaper, thanks to the levy cut.
- The temporary levy cut is R1.50 for petrol and R3 for diesel until December 1; paraffin gets no relief and points to a rise of about R2.74.
South Africa fuel price cut November 2026: the official figures are not out yet. When this post was updated at 08:23 SAST on Saturday, October 31, the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) fuel prices page still listed the October 7 adjustment as the latest, so every November number below is a projection. New prices are due on Wednesday, November 4, the day a temporary fuel levy cut begins.
The projections point to a cut. Central Energy Fund (CEF) data to October 29, combined with the levy relief, implies petrol about 33c to 49c a litre cheaper and diesel about R1.58 to R1.68 cheaper. Illuminating paraffin, which gets no levy relief, points to an increase.
Is the November fuel price cut official yet?
No. In checks between 08:05 and 08:23 SAST on October 31, neither the DMPR's news page nor its petrol price media release page carried a November statement, and the government's media statements list for October 28 to 30 had none either.
The DMPR has not said when it will publish. CARmag reported on October 30 that the announcement will come next week, closer to November 4. October's CEF press release was dated Friday, October 2, five days before prices moved, and the DMPR archive shows last year's November release was dated October 31, 2025.
The effective date is not in doubt: the DMPR's October documents set price caps for October 7 to November 3. The October statement gave a date but no time of day, so check the November statement for exact timing.
Petrol price November 2026: latest projection by fuel type
The CEF's daily under-recovery is the gap between what fuel currently costs to import and the price built into today's pump price; it points to an increase. Its 2026 daily archive had no October 30 sheet when checked, so the October 29 sheet, averaging October 2 to 29, is the latest.
- Petrol 93: under-recovery of 116.98c a litre. After the R1.50 levy cut, that implies a drop of about 33c, taking inland 93 from R29.88 to about R29.55.
- Petrol 95: under-recovery of 100.59c, implying a drop of about 49c: roughly R29.76 inland (from R30.25) and R28.89 at the coast (from R29.38).
- Diesel 0.05% sulphur (500ppm): under-recovery of 141.83c. After the R3 levy cut, that implies about R1.58 off the wholesale price: roughly R30.37 inland and R29.50 at the coast.
- Diesel 0.005% sulphur (50ppm): under-recovery of 131.65c, implying about R1.68 off: roughly R31.12 inland, from R32.80.
- Illuminating paraffin: under-recovery of 274.49c. Paraffin carries no fuel levy in the DMPR's price structure, so the relief does not apply and the wholesale price points to a rise of about R2.74.
- LPG: the CEF daily sheet does not cover LPG, and no projection has been published.
These net figures are our illustrative arithmetic, the CEF average minus the levy cut, and they match CARmag's October 30 forecast for petrol and 500ppm diesel. The DMPR rounds its figures, and the slate levy can change, so the official numbers may differ. The trend has helped: on October 29 alone, 95 petrol showed a small over-recovery of about 25c, and its average fell from 107.22c on the October 28 sheet to 100.59c.
Why prices are moving: oil, the rand and levies
The DMPR will give its November reasons in its statement. For October, the department's media statement said average Brent crude rose from $87.89 to $101 a barrel, citing US/Iran tensions, uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, higher shipping costs and falling inventories, while the rand barely moved.
- Product prices: about 63.65c of the 95 petrol under-recovery and 94.22c for 500ppm diesel, per the CEF. CARmag put Brent at $104 a barrel on October 30.
- The rand: about 36.93c for 95 and 47.60c for 500ppm diesel. The rand was at R16.64 to the US dollar on October 29, weaker than the R16.21 average behind October's prices.
- Levies: the cut is what turns those increases into decreases. In October's Gauteng price structure, the general fuel levy was R4.29 a litre on petrol and R4.16 on diesel, and the slate levy was 87.66c.
The slate, which records past under-recoveries, was R10.456 billion in deficit at the end of August, so the slate levy could be adjusted again.
The fuel levy cut explained
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced the relief in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on October 21. According to SAnews, the general fuel levy falls by R1.50 a litre for petrol and R3 for diesel from November 4 to December 1, then by R1 and R1.50 respectively until January 5, 2027.
The R10 billion package is funded by returning money that had been moved to the CEF. TimesLIVE quotes the minister saying it will "help ease cost-of-living pressures without compromising the sustainability of the budget." It is the second round of relief this year: Business Day reports earlier cuts of up to R3 a litre for petrol and R3.93 for diesel in April, May and June.
The Automobile Association (AA) wants more. In an IOL report on October 29, AA CEO Bobby Ramagwede backed Godongwana's suggestion, made on 702, that the general fuel levy be phased out, and called for a public review of the basic fuel price formula. "Fuel taxes land on everyone who moves," he said.
How the November projection changed during October
These earlier forecasts are kept as history. None was official.
- October 8: the AA said early CEF data signalled a petrol rise of up to R4.58 a litre.
- October 22: IOL said a cut of 50c or more was possible after the levy relief if the trend continued.
- October 25: eNCA reported a cut of about 23c for 95 petrol and about R1.76 for low-sulphur diesel.
- October 29: 2oceansvibe, using the October 27 CEF snapshot, reported cuts of about 23c for 93 and 38c for 95.
- October 30: CARmag, using data to October 29, projected 33c and 49c off petrol and R1.58 to R1.68 off diesel.
October 2026 fuel prices for comparison
October's adjustment raised 93 petrol by 312c a litre and 95 by 333c, according to the DMPR's October price documents. Diesel rose by 284.38c (500ppm) and 324.38c (50ppm), wholesale paraffin by 358c, and LPG by 42c a kilogram (48c in the Western Cape). Prices in force until November 3:
- Petrol 95: R30.25 inland (Gauteng) and R29.38 at the coast. Petrol 93: R29.88 inland.
- Diesel 500ppm (wholesale): R31.95 inland and R31.08 at the coast. Diesel 50ppm: R32.80 inland; IOL lists R31.93 at the coast.
- Illuminating paraffin: R24.47 wholesale inland, with a single national maximum retail price of R31.82.
- LPG: maximum retail price of R37.81 a kilogram inland and R34.56 at the coast.
Wholesale prices are not pump prices. Inland 95 is R8.62 a litre dearer than in October 2025, according to the DMPR's price history. If the projections hold, November would bring the first petrol decrease since August and the first diesel decrease since July.
Key dates for November fuel prices
- Before November 4 (date not announced): the DMPR statement with official prices and reasons.
- Wednesday, November 4: new prices and the full levy cut take effect.
- Wednesday, December 2 (expected): the December adjustment, with the smaller levy cut.
- January 5, 2027: the relief ends. IOL warned that record prices could return in January if the Middle East conflict is not resolved by year-end.
How to cut your fuel costs
The Automobile Association offers tips that help whatever the official figure turns out to be:
- Keep the car serviced, with correct tyre pressure and alignment. The AA says a well-maintained car uses 10% to 20% less fuel.
- Drive at 110 km/h rather than 120 km/h, and pull away gently.
- Switch off the engine if you will idle for more than about 30 seconds.
- Combine short trips. If you plan to shop around Black Friday in South Africa on November 27, one planned route beats several short runs.
If the projections hold, petrol and diesel bought from November 4 should be slightly cheaper, while paraffin may cost more. This is general information, not financial advice.
How to check the official figures
The DMPR posts its statement and price documents on its fuel prices page. A separate schedule covers every magisterial district zone, so your local price may differ slightly. We will update this post when the official figures are published.
Our take
Based on the cited data, the levy cut is doing nearly all the work. Without it, the CEF figures point to petrol about R1 a litre dearer and diesel about R1.40 dearer, on top of October's record. Diesel users gain most and paraffin users face another rise. With the relief shrinking on December 2 and ending on January 5, oil prices and the rand matter as much as November's number.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fuel price cut in November 2026 in South Africa?
Projections say yes for petrol and diesel, but the official figures had not been published as of 08:23 SAST on October 31, 2026. Central Energy Fund data to October 29, after the temporary levy cut, points to petrol about 33c to 49c a litre cheaper and diesel about R1.58 to R1.68 cheaper. The DMPR sets the final numbers.
When will the November 2026 fuel price be announced?
The DMPR has not announced a date. CARmag expects the official prices next week, closer to November 4. October's CEF press release was dated October 2 for an October 7 change, and last year's November release was dated October 31, 2025. New prices apply from Wednesday, November 4.
How much is the November fuel levy cut?
The general fuel levy falls by R1.50 a litre for petrol and R3 a litre for diesel from November 4 to December 1, 2026. A smaller cut of R1 for petrol and R1.50 for diesel then runs until January 5, 2027. The R10 billion cost is funded by money returned from the Central Energy Fund.
What is the petrol price in October 2026?
Since October 7, 2026, 95 petrol has cost R30.25 a litre inland (Gauteng) and R29.38 at the coast, and inland 93 costs R29.88. Wholesale 500ppm diesel is R31.95 inland and R31.08 at the coast, and 50ppm is R32.80 inland. These prices apply until November 3.
Will paraffin and LPG prices go down in November?
Paraffin is unlikely to fall: it carries no fuel levy, so the relief does not apply, and CEF data to October 29 points to a wholesale rise of about R2.74 a litre. No LPG projection has been published; October's maximum retail price is R37.81 a kilogram inland and R34.56 at the coast. The DMPR statement will confirm both.
Sources
- Fuel Prices (latest listed: effective 07 October 2026), Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources
- Petrol Price Media Release: monthly fuel price press releases, Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources
- News Articles: media statements, speeches and advisories, Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources
- Fuel Price Adjustment Documents, October 2026 (media statement and CEF press release), Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources
- Daily Basic Fuel Price, 29 October 2026, Central Energy Fund
- Daily Basic Fuel Price, 28 October 2026, Central Energy Fund
- Daily Basic Fuel Price: 2026 archive, Central Energy Fund
- Media statements, South African Government
- Finance Minister announces fuel levy relief, SAnews
- Good news! SA fuel prices set to drop in November 2026 for first time since July, CARmag
- AA urges government to scrap fuel levies and overhaul fuel pricing formula, IOL
- Fuel tax relief: How much South Africans could pay for petrol and diesel in November, IOL
- SA's 38c Petrol Cut Forecast Comes With A November Catch, 2oceansvibe News
- Oil prices threaten to undermine fuel levy relief, eNCA
- Government responds to pleas for fuel price relief, Business Day
- MTBPS 2026: Godongwana provides fuel price relief again, but at what cost?, TimesLIVE
- Open letter to the Ministry of Finance: fuel levies must fall!, Automobile Association of South Africa
- 9 ways to save fuel, Automobile Association of South Africa
How we wrote this
GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 18 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 31, 2026, and we update the post when they change.
