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According to comparisons from the AA, current fuel prices are lower than during the same period last year.
Traffic between Joburg and Durban is set to increase for the Easter Holidays. Picture: N3 Toll/Twitter
South African motorists received welcome news as fuel prices decreased this week, bringing timely relief for those planning Easter holiday road trips.
The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) has confirmed that from Wednesday, 2 April, petrol prices will see a significant reduction of 58 cents per liter, marking the second consecutive monthly decrease after prices dropped in March.
From Wednesday, motorists will pay R21.62 for 95 Unleaded petrol and R21.51 for 93 Unleaded, representing substantial savings compared to last month’s prices of R22.34 and R22.09, respectively.
Diesel users will also benefit from the decrease, with 500ppm diesel now costing R19.32 per liter, down from R20.16 in March.
The higher-grade 50ppm diesel has been reduced to R19.35 per liter from R20.21.
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The timing of the price drop brings particular relief for Easter holiday travelers.
According to AA comparisons, current petrol prices are significantly lower than during the same period last year.
The price of inland 93 unleaded during Easter 2024 was R24.13 per liter, which means motorists will now pay R2.62 less per liter for the same fuel grade.
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For South Africans planning road trips during the Easter break, the decrease in fuel price translates to noticeable savings on travel costs.
A journey from Johannesburg Park Station to Durban Central spans approximately 574km via the N3 highway.
Some of South Africa’s popular car brands, including a Volkswagen Polo Vivo, run on a 45-litre tank.
According to VW, the Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline should complete a trip from J’oburg Central to Durban on a single tank of fuel.
With the new prices, filling a 45-liter tank with 93 unleaded will cost R967.95, while using 95 unleaded will cost R972.90.
Assuming a fuel consumption of 12.75km per litre, a 45-litre vehicle will cost you between R1 574.21 (93 unleaded) and R1 582.26 (95 unleaded) from Johannesburg Central to Durban on a one-way trip.
For those traveling from Johannesburg Park Station to Polokwane Central, a 321km journey via the N1 will cost approximately R880.35 and R884.85 on 93 and 95 unleaded petrol, respectively.
It is worth noting that while 93- and 95-octane unleaded petrol are available in inland areas, coastal regions only sell 95-octane fuel.
This is due to lower altitudes and higher air pressure, which require higher octane fuel to prevent engine knocking.
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The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) recently announced its 2025 tariff hike for all major national routes, which took effect on 1 March 2025.
The increase of 4.84% was much lower than last year’s 6.25%.
Tolls are broken into four classes — light, medium, large and extra-large heavy vehicles.
Cars like the Polo Vivo and similar will fall under class 1 [light vehicles].
Factoring in the tariff prices to your travel costs from Joburg to Durban, you will pay R318 more.
When travelling to Polokwane from Johannesburg, tariffs will cost you R226.
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The current decrease follows a period of rising prices earlier in the year.
Petrol prices increased by around 12 cents per liter in January and by 82 cents per liter in February.
However, March began a downward trend with a 7 cents per liter decrease for petrol, while wholesale diesel prices fell by between 17.5 and 23.5 cents per liter.
A lot of multiple factors affect the final price consumers pay at the pump.
The primary determinant is the wholesale price—what retailers pay before the fuel reaches consumers.
This wholesale price fluctuates based on several elements, including international crude oil prices, the rand’s strength against the US dollar, distribution costs, and taxes.
Additionally, the AA explains why coastal and inland fuel prices differ, stating: “The difference between inland and coastal fuel prices is mainly due to transport costs of the fuel from depots at the coat to inland outlets.”
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The current positive fuel recovery trend is driven by two main factors: a stronger rand against the dollar and significantly lower global oil prices.
These favorable economic conditions have allowed for consecutive price decreases, providing much-needed relief for consumers facing various other economic pressures.
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