Johannesburg, 5 October 2026 — The official October fuel prices are out, and diesel has set a new record. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announced on Monday that 50ppm diesel rises by R3.24 a litre from Wednesday, 7 October. That takes the inland wholesale price to R33.29. In addition, 500ppm diesel goes up by R2.84 to R31.95.
Petrol also reaches new highs. Petrol 95 climbs R3.33 to R30.25 a litre inland, so it passes R30 for the first time. The 93 grade rises R3.12 to R29.88. Meanwhile, wholesale illuminating paraffin goes up R3.58 a litre, and LPGas increases by 42 cents a kilogram.
The department blamed international oil prices. Brent crude averaged about $101 a barrel over the review period, up from $87.89, because of tension between the United States and Iran and uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz. The rand barely moved, averaging R16.212 to the dollar against R16.213 before. The announcement contained no fuel levy relief.
What The Official October Fuel Prices Include
Two components make up the increase. First, the basic fuel price added 329.07 cents a litre to petrol and 280.17 cents to diesel. Second, the slate levy rises by 4.38 cents, from 83.28 to 87.66 cents a litre. The department lifts that levy when the industry’s cumulative under-recovery grows, and the slate balance stood at a negative R10.45 billion at the end of August. By contrast, the stronger rand trimmed less than a quarter of a cent from each grade.
Why There Is No Relief This Time
Government cut the general fuel levy between April and June, when prices last spiked. It then reinstated the full levy on 1 July. Since then, Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has said no new relief is planned, and Monday’s statement did not change that. So the general fuel levy stays at R3.93 a litre on diesel and R4.10 on petrol. The Desk covered the earlier cuts in its fuel levy relief report.
Analysis
What The Official October Fuel Prices Mean For Fleets
This is the second large diesel increase in two months. In September, 50ppm rose R3.14 and 500ppm rose R2.93. Now October adds R3.24 and R2.84. Together, that is R6.38 a litre on 50ppm since the end of August. Moreover, the timing is poor. As the Desk reported last week, truck sales in September had already stalled, and prime moved to 10.75%. So hauliers face record fuel, dearer finance and a flat market together.
The Desk Calculation: The Official Figure Against The Forecast
Here is the arithmetic, with the assumptions shown. First, the monthly cost. A long-haul truck that burns 4,000 litres a month pays R12,960 more on 50ppm, or R11,360 more on 500ppm. For a 20-truck fleet on 50ppm, that is R259,200 a month. Second, the forecast. The Desk’s record diesel price report used a late-September projection of about R2.99. The official figure is 25 cents higher, which adds R1,000 a month per truck to that estimate.
Third, the two-month view. September and October together add R6.38 a litre on 50ppm, or R25,520 a month for the same truck. That is almost exactly one instalment on a R1.2 million truck at prime. Fourth, the trip. A 500-litre run now costs R1,620 more than it did last week. Finally, the levy. At R3.93 a litre, the general fuel levy alone costs a 4,000-litre truck R15,720 a month, which is more than the whole October increase.
Official October Fuel Prices: Grade By Grade
| Grade | Change from 7 October | New price |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel 50ppm (wholesale) | Up R3.24, rather than the R2.99 projected | R33.29 inland and R32.03 at the coast, so a record |
| Diesel 500ppm (wholesale) | Up R2.84, also close to September’s R2.93 | R31.95 inland, while R31.08 at the coast |
| Petrol 95 | Up R3.33, so above R30 for the first time | R30.25 inland, while R29.38 at the coast |
| Petrol 93 | Up R3.12, still 21 cents less than 95 | R29.88 inland, but R29.09 at the coast |
| Paraffin (wholesale) | Up R3.58, while retail rises R4.77 | R24.47 inland, but R23.41 at the coast |
The Numbers Behind The Official October Fuel Prices
Fleet Impact
How Fleets Can Respond Before Wednesday
Operators have one day at the old price. After that, every litre lost to idling, detours or theft costs more than it ever has. So control matters more than the price itself, because no haulier can change the price. Digit D-Fuel matches each fill against the litres a truck actually burns, which exposes siphoning and short deliveries quickly. Vehicle tracking for fleet management then shows idle hours and off-route kilometres, so a fleet can see where diesel goes before it reprices a contract.
- First, fill bulk tanks and trucks before Wednesday. Each 10,000 litres bought at the old price saves R32,400 on 50ppm.
- Second, trigger fuel clauses now. Use R3.24 for 50ppm or R2.84 for 500ppm, because the official figures replace any forecast in a contract.
- Third, reprice fixed-rate lanes. A 500-litre trip costs R1,620 more from Wednesday, so a rate set in August no longer covers it.
- Finally, tighten fuel control. With the official October fuel prices at a record, a 3% loss on 4,000 litres costs about R4,000 a month.
Fleet Technology
Fleet Technology For Record Diesel
At R33.29 a litre, a missing 100 litres is a R3,329 loss. Most fleets only find it at month-end. Digit D-Fuel reports the drop when it happens, with the time and the place, so a manager can act the same day. DigitFMS tracking adds the idle hours and route deviations behind the rest of the fuel bill. As a result, the same data that stops theft also supports a fuel-clause claim. Cartrack, Netstar, Tracker, Ctrack and MiX by Powerfleet also offer fuel and tracking tools. Even so, DigitFMS services its systems through more than 100 branches countrywide.
Key Numbers: Official October Fuel Prices At A Glance
Key Numbers · Official October Fuel Prices
Effective Wednesday, 7 October 2026: diesel 50ppm +R3.24 to R33.29 inland (R32.03 coast); diesel 500ppm +R2.84 to R31.95 (R31.08), while both are wholesale prices
Petrol: 95 +R3.33 to R30.25 inland (R29.38 coast); 93 +R3.12 to R29.88 (R29.09); paraffin wholesale +R3.58, while retail rises R4.77; LPGas +42c a kilogram
Drivers: Brent $87.89 → about $101; rand R16.213 → R16.212, so almost flat; basic fuel price +329.07c petrol and +280.17c diesel; slate levy 83.28c → 87.66c
Levies: no relief announced, so the general fuel levy stays at R3.93 diesel and R4.10 petrol; slate balance −R10.45bn at the end of August
Desk calculation: 4,000 litres a month ≈ +R12,960 (50ppm) or +R11,360 (500ppm); 20 trucks ≈ +R259,200; September plus October ≈ +R6.38 a litre, so R25,520 a month; 500-litre trip +R1,620
Source: Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announcement, 5 October 2026, as reported by BusinessTech, The Bulrushes, Knysna-Plett Herald and SA People.
Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions: Official October Fuel Prices
What Are The Official October Fuel Prices?
From 7 October 2026, 50ppm diesel costs R33.29 a litre inland and 500ppm costs R31.95, both wholesale. Petrol 95 costs R30.25 and petrol 93 costs R29.88 inland. Coastal prices are lower, at R32.03 for 50ppm diesel and R29.38 for petrol 95.
When Do The New Prices Take Effect?
On Wednesday, 7 October 2026. So fleets have until Tuesday night to fill trucks and bulk tanks at September’s prices.
Why Did Fuel Prices Rise So Much?
Mainly because of oil. Brent crude averaged about $101 a barrel, up from $87.89, amid tension between the United States and Iran. The rand hardly moved, so it offered almost no offset. In addition, the slate levy rose by 4.38 cents a litre.
Is There Any Fuel Levy Relief?
No. The announcement contained none, and the minister has said no relief is planned. The general fuel levy therefore stays at R3.93 a litre on diesel and R4.10 on petrol.
What Does The Increase Cost A Truck?
A truck that uses 4,000 litres a month pays about R12,960 more on 50ppm diesel, or R11,360 more on 500ppm. Over September and October together, the 50ppm increase comes to about R25,520 a month.
How Do The Official October Fuel Prices Compare With The Forecast?
They are slightly worse. Late-September projections pointed to a 50ppm increase of about R2.99, whereas the official figure is R3.24. That difference adds about R1,000 a month to the cost of a 4,000-litre truck.
Facts checked 5 October 2026. Source: BusinessTech, The Bulrushes, Knysna-Plett Herald and SA People. Related: the official September fuel prices and unsustainable road freight rates.
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