Johannesburg, 4 November 2026 — The official November fuel prices took effect at 00:01 today, and diesel finally comes down. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources cut 50ppm diesel by R1.20 a litre, to R32.09 inland. Meanwhile, 500ppm drops R1.10 to R30.85. However, petrol falls by only 1c, even though its levy was cut by R1.50.
The decrease also follows three monthly increases in a row. It also lands on the 4 November public holiday, which is also polling day for the local government elections. Most importantly, it includes the R3 diesel levy cut announced in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on 21 October. However, only R1.20 of that R3 reaches the price. Instead, the rest went to higher oil prices, a weaker rand and a larger slate levy.
Where The R3 Diesel Levy Cut Went
Specifically, the department’s statement sets out each part. First, international diesel prices rose, adding 94c a litre. Average Brent crude climbed from US$101 to US$108 a barrel, which the department linked to conflict in the Middle East. Second, the rand weakened from R16.21 to R16.55 to the dollar, adding another 49c. Third, the slate levy rose by 48c. Together, those three items add up to about R1.91 against the R3 levy cut. As a result, the net cut on 500ppm is R1.10. On 50ppm, by contrast, it is 10c larger, at R1.20.
Why The Slate Levy Went Up
The slate levy recovers past under-recoveries in the regulated fuel price. In other words, it covers the gap between what fuel cost and what the regulated price allowed. At the end of September 2026, the combined petrol and diesel slate stood at minus R15.876 billion. Under the self-adjusting mechanism, the levy therefore rose from 87.66c to 135.84c a litre on both petrol and diesel. So fleets are now repaying earlier shortfalls in the same month that the levy cut begins.
Analysis
What The Official November Fuel Prices Mean For Fleets
For fleets, the official November fuel prices bring relief, but less than projected. Before the announcement, the latest projections pointed to a 50ppm cut of about R1.68. However, the final cut is about 48c smaller. Notably, that gap is the same size as the slate levy increase. Moreover, the relief is temporary. Specifically, from 2 December, half of the levy cut falls away. Then the full levy returns from 6 January 2027.
The Desk Calculation: The Cut, Then The Step Back
Here are the sums, with the assumptions shown. First, a truck that burns 4,000 litres of 50ppm a month pays about R4,790 less than in October. That is about R1,930 less than the R1.68 projection suggested. Second, the slate levy alone now costs that truck about R5,430 a month. For a 20-truck fleet, it comes to about R108,700. Third, without the levy cut, 50ppm would have risen by about R1.80 a litre. Consequently, it would have set a new inland record of R35.09.
Finally, the step back. If nothing else changed, the R1.50 returned on 2 December would take 50ppm to about R33.59 a litre. That is 30c above the official October fuel prices record of R33.29. In practice, however, December’s price will also depend on oil, the rand and the slate.
Official November Fuel Prices By Product
| Product | Change | Inland | Coast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel 50ppm (wholesale) | Down R1.20 | R32.09 | R30.83 |
| Diesel 500ppm (wholesale) | Down R1.10 | R30.85 | R29.98 |
| Petrol 95 | Down 1c | R30.24 | R29.37 |
| Petrol 93 | Down 1c | R29.87 | R29.08 |
| Paraffin (wholesale) | Up R2.75 | R27.22 | R26.16 |
The Numbers Behind The Official November Fuel Prices
Fleet Impact
What Fleets Can Do Before 2 December
In short, the full R3 cut lasts four weeks. First, fleets that buy in bulk can plan deliveries before 2 December, when half the relief ends. Second, they can check what they actually pay. Because diesel pump prices are not fixed by the state, a supplier’s price can differ from the wholesale figure. Vehicle tracking for fleet management links each fill to a truck, a site and a time. In addition, Digit D-Fuel measures the litres that reach each tank. That way, every invoice can be matched to fuel actually received.
- First, check invoices. Fills from 4 November should show the R1.20 cut on 50ppm or R1.10 on 500ppm.
- Second, plan bulk buying. The full levy cut runs until 1 December, so deliveries before 2 December carry the larger saving.
- Third, budget for December. All else equal, the R1.50 step back adds about R6,000 a month to a 4,000-litre truck.
- Finally, watch the slate levy. It moves with the slate balance, so it can rise or fall again after the official November fuel prices.
Fleet Technology
Fleet Technology For A Levy Cut
Fuel policy changes at midnight on the first Wednesday of the month. Fleet records, however, show whether the change reached the depot. DigitFMS tracking ties each fill to a truck, a site and a time. Meanwhile, Digit D-Fuel shows the litres each tank received and each engine burned. As a result, a fleet can confirm its November saving rather than assume it. Fleets comparing systems will also find Cartrack, Netstar, Tracker, Ctrack and MiX by Powerfleet. Help is never far away, with more than 100 DigitFMS branches across South Africa.
Key Numbers: Official November Fuel Prices At A Glance
Key Numbers · Official November Fuel Prices
Effective: 00:01 on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, as announced by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources on 3 November
Diesel: 50ppm −R1.20 to R32.09 inland (R30.83 coast); 500ppm −R1.10 to R30.85 (R29.98), both wholesale
Petrol: 95 −1c to R30.24 inland (R29.37 coast); 93 −1c to R29.87 (R29.08)
Levy relief: general fuel levy cut by R3 on diesel and R1.50 on petrol until 1 December, then R1.50 and R1 until 5 January 2027
Slate levy: +48.18c to 135.84c a litre, after a slate deficit of R15.876 billion at the end of September
Drivers: Brent US$101 → US$108; rand R16.21 → R16.55; diesel product prices +94c and exchange rate +49c a litre
Desk calculation: a 4,000-litre truck pays ≈ R4,790 less than in October, while the slate levy costs it ≈ R5,430 a month
Source: Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources via GovernmentZA; Stuff; Daily Maverick; Reuters via CNBC Africa.
Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions: Official November Fuel Prices
What Are The Official November Fuel Prices?
From 4 November, 50ppm diesel costs R32.09 a litre inland and 500ppm costs R30.85, both wholesale. Petrol 95 costs R30.24 and petrol 93 costs R29.87 inland.
Why Did Diesel Only Fall R1.20 When The Levy Fell R3?
Higher international diesel prices added 94c, while the weaker rand added 49c. In addition, the slate levy rose by 48c. As a result, these absorbed most of the R3 cut.
What Is The Slate Levy?
It recovers past under-recoveries in the regulated fuel price. It rose to 135.84c a litre because the slate was R15.876 billion in deficit at the end of September.
Why Did Petrol Barely Change?
Petrol’s levy fell by R1.50. However, higher product prices, the weaker rand and the slate levy absorbed almost all of it. So petrol fell by just 1c.
How Long Does The Levy Cut Last?
The full cut runs until 1 December. After that, diesel keeps a R1.50 cut and petrol a R1 cut until 5 January 2027.
Will Diesel Go Up In December?
Possibly. Half the levy cut ends on 2 December, which adds R1.50 a litre on its own. However, the final December price will also depend on oil prices, the rand and the slate levy.
Facts checked 4 November 2026. Source: Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (GovernmentZA), Stuff, Daily Maverick and Reuters via CNBC Africa. Related: the November diesel price outlook and logistics costs in 2026.
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