Durban, 4 August 2026 — The official August fuel prices are confirmed. One line in the price structure changed the outcome for every operator. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has gazetted the adjustments taking effect tomorrow, Wednesday 5 August. Diesel rises 123 cents per litre on 50ppm and 138 cents on 500ppm. Petrol falls 52 cents. That petrol cut, and the softer diesel increase, exist because government reduced the slate levy by 52.56 cents. Without it, both numbers would have been materially worse.
The Announcement
Official August Fuel Prices Confirmed for 5 August
The department published the full official August fuel prices schedule on Monday. Every projection circulating last week pointed to a smaller petrol cut and a steeper diesel increase. That included this desk’s reading of the closing Central Energy Fund data. The slate levy reduction changed both. The table below carries the official figures rather than any projection.
| Fuel | Official Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol 93 (ULP & LRP) | 52 cents per litre | Decrease |
| Petrol 95 (ULP & LRP) | 52 cents per litre | Decrease |
| Diesel 0.05% (500ppm) | 138 cents per litre | Increase |
| Diesel 0.005% (50ppm) | 123 cents per litre | Increase |
| Illuminating Paraffin | 152 cents per litre | Increase |
| LP Gas | 441 cents per kilogram | Decrease |
The Slate Levy That Rescued the August Petrol Price
The slate levy is the least understood line in the South African fuel price, and this month it was decisive. Fuel companies buy product continuously, but the regulated price changes monthly. The gap between what they paid and what they may charge accumulates in a balance called the slate. When that balance runs negative, a levy inside the price structure recovers it from motorists. The cumulative slate stood at negative R7.418 billion for petrol and diesel at the end of June. Under the Self-Adjusting Slate Levy Mechanism, the levy now drops from 113.94 cents to 61.38 cents per litre from tomorrow.
What Pushed the Official Fuel Prices Higher
Two forces pushed the other way during the review period. International product prices climbed as renewed Middle East conflict closed the Strait of Hormuz. Crude ran from roughly $70 toward $100 before settling near $83. Meanwhile, the rand averaged R16.4554 to the dollar against R16.3774 previously. According to the department, that currency movement added 6.37 cents per litre to petrol. Diesel basic fuel prices took 8.14 cents. Diesel absorbed the worst of it, moving from an over-recovery around R4.00 per litre to an under-recovery near R1.80.
The Numbers Behind the August Fuel Adjustment
Fleet Impact
Budgeting the Official August Fuel Prices
The fleet arithmetic is now settled. At 123 to 138 cents per litre, a 500-litre tank costs R615 to R690 more per fill from tomorrow. A truck consuming 5,000 litres a month adds roughly R6,150 to R6,900 to its fuel bill. Scaled up, a 30-vehicle fleet on that profile carries R184,500 to R207,000 more per month. Notably, the 15-cent gap between grades matters at volume. Across thirty trucks, a fleet running 500ppm pays roughly R9,000 more per month than one running 50ppm.
September deserves early attention. The slate levy has done its work. It now sits at 61.38 cents, so less cushion remains to absorb the next increase. Consequently, September’s adjustment will track oil prices and the rand more directly than August’s did. Operators who treated this month’s softer diesel number as a reprieve should treat it instead as a delay.
- Load 123c on 50ppm and 138c on 500ppm into rate cards and quotes today, not the earlier projections
- Check grade split across the fleet: 15 cents per litre compounds fast at volume
- Plan September without slate relief: the levy is now 61.38c and the cushion is largely spent
- Re-run escalation clauses against the official gazette figures, which are what customers will verify
Fleet Technology
How DigitFMS Absorbs the Official August Diesel Increase
The official increase lands tomorrow regardless of preparation. What differs between fleets is how many litres each route burns to earn the same revenue. DigitFMS gives operators litre-level visibility through D-Fuel, its fuel monitoring system. It tracks every fill, drain and burn against tank capacity and route data. As a result, clients have cut fuel theft by up to 95%. In addition, GPS tracking with geofencing, AI dashcams, driver identification and route management run alongside on a single dashboard. Competing providers such as Cartrack, Tracker, Netstar, Ctrack and MiX by Powerfleet offer fuel modules as well. However, diesel is up 138 cents and the slate cushion is largely spent. Consumption discipline is now the only variable an operator still controls.
Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions: Official August Fuel Prices
What are the official August 2026 fuel prices?
From 5 August, petrol 93 and 95 both decrease by 52 cents per litre. Meanwhile, 500ppm diesel increases by 138 cents and 50ppm by 123 cents. Illuminating paraffin rises 152 cents, while LP Gas falls 441 cents per kilogram.
Why did petrol get a bigger cut than expected?
Government cut the slate levy by 52.56 cents per litre, from 113.94 to 61.38 cents. That reduction offset the higher cost of imported fuel and preserved the petrol decrease.
What Is the Slate Levy in the Fuel Price?
It is a self-adjusting levy inside the fuel price structure. It recovers or repays the gap between what fuel companies paid for product and the regulated price. The levy moves as the cumulative slate balance changes.
Why Did Diesel Prices Still Increase?
International product prices rose sharply during the review period as Middle East conflict disrupted supply. Additionally, the rand weakened slightly, pushing diesel deep into under-recovery.
How much does the diesel increase cost a fleet?
At 123 to 138 cents per litre, a 500-litre tank costs R615 to R690 more per fill. Accordingly, a truck using 5,000 litres monthly adds roughly R6,150 to R6,900 to its fuel bill.
What did the rand contribute to the increase?
The rand averaged R16.4554 to the dollar during the review period, against R16.3774 previously. That added 6.37 cents per litre to petrol and 8.14 cents to diesel basic fuel prices.
What does this mean for September fuel prices?
The slate levy now sits at 61.38 cents, so less cushion remains to absorb future increases. Therefore, September will depend more directly on oil prices and the rand.
Figures checked 4 August 2026. Source: the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announcement, reported by BusinessTech, Stuff and The South African. These official figures supersede the projections in our 1 August closing-data article. The series: the ceasefire outlook and both grades turn.
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