Petrol price drop brings little relief for consumers

It is good news that the fuel price has fallen today but for most SA consumers, this will not make a significant difference as they are so deep in debt and have so little income that they will go into 2026 with the same despair they had a year ago.

- Ina Opperman

Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe announced this week that the price petrol and diesel will fall. While this is welcome, the reality is motorists will still need pay over R20 a litre for both 93 and 95 unleaded petrol.

The decrease of 66c per litre for unleaded 93 brings the price down to R20.64 and motorists filling up with 95 will pay R20.75 a litre. The price of diesel dropped from R20 to R18.52.

However, most South African households still enter the new year under extreme financial duress, as debt, school fees and essential living costs converge in early January, along with high household debt and an ever-increasing gap between income and essential expenses, Neil Roets, CEO of Debt Rescue, says.