Fuel hikes across the board in August bad news for consumers

Unaudited data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) is pointing to fuel price hikes for all fuel grades in August dealing another blow for already cash-strapped South Africans, says the Automobile Association (AA).

According to the data, petrol ULP95 will climb by around 35 cents a litre, and petrol 93ULP by around 30c/l. But it’s the expected increases to diesel which are most concerning.

“The data is showing diesel will increase by around 72c/l which will, effectively, mean consumers will have to pay more for goods and services down the line. Illuminating paraffin, too, is expected to increase – also by around 72c/l. These are all significant upwards adjustments which will impact on all South Africans,” says the AA.

The data is showing that the main driver behind the expected increases is international oil prices which escalated steadily throughout the month. Easing some of the pressure on fuel prices is the Rand which improved its value against the US Dollar throughout the month. The strengthening of the local currency against the Greenback throughout the month is ensuring the expected fuel increases are not higher but this is not doing enough to avoid the hikes.

“As always, we encourage motorists to ensure their vehicles are in good condition and running optimally to use the correct amount of fuel. Planning trips and keeping tyres in a good state are other measures to ensure optimum fuel consumption. Critically, all consumers should be aware of the expected increases, and they should adjust their budgets accordingly to cover these added expenses,” concludes the Association.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

The Automobile Association (AA) does not regulate or adjust fuel prices in South Africa, nor does it have any input in how the fuel prices are calculated. Fuel prices are officially calculated and adjusted on the first Wednesday of every month by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). The DMRE is the only entity which regulates, sets, and adjusts fuel prices in South Africa.

The AA publishes outlooks and fuel price commentary based on publicly available information and communicates movements to the fuel price in the interests of informing consumers.