June 2026 petrol price: Why it goes up and what diesel drivers save

Official prices from 3 June 2026

Current prices effective 3 June 2026. June official prices effective 3 June 2026 per DMRE gazette.

Why petrol is going up: the levy relief is being halved

The petrol increase is almost entirely a government policy change, not a movement in global oil prices. Here is the background.

When the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis began in late February 2026 - after geopolitical events caused Iran to restrict tanker traffic through the strait, which carries about 20% of global oil trade - Brent crude spiked from around $70 to above $100 per barrel within weeks. At peak, Brent reached $126/barrel in March 2026. SA petrol prices surged as a result: the May 2026 adjustment alone added R3.27/litre to petrol.

To soften the blow, Finance Minister Godongwana and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources introduced temporary relief on the General Fuel Levy. From 1 April 2026, the petrol levy was cut by R3.00/litre. This relief was extended into May, keeping the levy at R3.00/litre below normal.

For June, the relief is being halved. Petrol levy relief drops from R3.00/litre to R1.50/litre. The official DMRE gazette confirmed a petrol increase of R1.43/litre - slightly below the mid-month CEF forecast of R1.69/litre, as Brent crude and the rand settled more favourably than expected at month-end.

Why diesel is going down

Diesel is moving in the opposite direction because two forces are partly cancelling each other out. The diesel levy relief is also being reduced, which would push the price up. But the international diesel price is showing a strong over-recovery - meaning South Africa paid more for May diesel than the current global price requires. This over-recovery more than offsets the levy reinstatement, producing a net decrease of R3.25/litre according to the official gazette.

This is good news for truck drivers, taxis, and anyone running diesel vehicles - but it is worth noting that even after the drop, diesel at R27.92/litre inland is still well above where it was before the Hormuz crisis (roughly R24-25/litre in late 2025).

What this costs in practice

On a standard 50-litre tank:

• Petrol 95 inland: R1403 in May vs a forecast R1305 in June - about R-98 more per fillup
• Diesel 50ppm inland: R1396 in May vs a forecast R1239 in June - about R157 saving per fillup

For a commuter filling up twice a month on petrol, June costs roughly R-196 more per month than May. Use the fuel cost calculator to work out the exact cost for your vehicle and route.

The July cliff: what comes next

The full General Fuel Levy relief - R1.50/litre for petrol and R1.96/litre for diesel - expires completely on 1 July 2026. This is a significant upcoming risk. Unless global oil prices fall substantially by month-end, July's adjustment will add back everything removed in June plus the remaining levy. The government has not announced any further relief beyond June.

The total cost of the April-June fuel levy relief programme is R17.2 billion in foregone tax revenue. Government is not expected to extend it indefinitely.

Official June prices confirmed

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMRE) published the official June 2026 fuel prices on 30 May 2026. Prices took effect from midnight on Wednesday 3 June 2026. The fuel cost calculator has been updated with the official figures.