Diesel price in South Africa: why it should rise in December
The diesel price for 2 December 2026 looks set to rise by about +128c on 500 ppm, from R30.86 wholesale in Gauteng, because the levy relief ends.
Example: diesel 0.05% (500 ppm), levy relief ending as announced, CEF data to 11 November 2026· Change the fuel or the assumptions to see another estimate
Diesel 0.05% (500 ppm), estimated from 2 December 2026 (Gauteng wholesale price)
R32.14
+R1.28 a litre (+128c) on today’s R30.86 · coast R31.26
| Over-recovery so far (average from 30 October 2026) | +97c a litre |
| Latest day (11 November 2026) | +233c over |
| Window average projected to the close | +172c over |
| Fuel levy relief ends | +300c |
| A 50-litre tank | R1,543 now, R1,607 then |
Diesel and paraffin: the wholesale price is regulated, the pump price is set by each station, usually above it. The official figure comes with the Department’s statement a few days before 2 December 2026.
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the estimate is made
Diesel in South Africa has a regulated wholesale price, not a pump price: stations buy at the price set by the Department and add their own margin. Since 4 November 2026, 500 ppm diesel (0.05% sulphur) costs R30.86 a litre wholesale in Gauteng and R29.98 at the coast; the cleaner 50 ppm grade (0.005%) costs R31.60 in Gauteng. The general fuel levy on diesel was cut by -300c a litre until 1 December, twice the cut on petrol. The Central Energy Fund sheet of 11 November 2026 shows an over-recovery of +97c so far on 500 ppm: the price should come down by about +172c from that alone, but the +300c of levy coming back outweighs it. Net estimate: +128c on 500 ppm to R32.14, +89c on 50 ppm to R32.49. An 80-litre bakkie tank would cost about R102 more at the same station margin.
Diesel price: wholesale today and the December estimate
| Grade | Gauteng now | Coast now | Over-recovery so far | Estimated change | Gauteng from 2 Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel 500 ppm (0.05%) | R30.86 | R29.98 | +97c | +128c | R32.14 |
| Diesel 50 ppm (0.005%) | R31.60 | R30.73 | +134c | +89c | R32.49 |
The wholesale price is what the Department regulates. What you pay at the pump adds the station’s margin, so the figures above are lower than any pump price you will see. The change, on the other hand, is the same: if the wholesale price rises by +128c, the pump price rises by about that much as well.
What a litre of diesel is made of
Of the R30.86 wholesale price of 500 ppm in Gauteng, R23.56 is the landed cost of the fuel, a larger share than on petrol because diesel is dearer on world markets this year. The rest is the general fuel levy at +116c during the relief, the Road Accident Fund levy at +225c, the slate levy at +136c, the wholesale margin at +99c and storage, distribution and transport to Gauteng at +149c. There is no retail margin in the regulated price, which is why the station’s own margin comes on top.
Farmers, miners, fishing fleets and some transport operators can claim back part of the fuel levy and the Road Accident Fund levy on diesel through the South African Revenue Service diesel refund scheme, under conditions set in the customs and excise rules. The refund does not change the price at the pump.
Diesel or petrol car for your distance
Example: 2,000 km a month· change a figure to see yours
Diesel car saves a month
R827
petrol R4,838, diesel R4,011 (diesel at the wholesale price)
| From 2 December 2026 (estimate): petrol | R4,467 |
| From 2 December 2026 (estimate): diesel | R4,178 |
| Saving then | R289 |
Diesel since 2024
500 ppm diesel cost R22.45 wholesale in Gauteng in April 2024 and peaked at R31.95 on 7 October 2026, after a jump in international diesel prices produced an under-recovery of +1,013c a litre for the April change. Diesel reacts more than petrol to shocks in the world market, because more of its price is the landed cost. The diesel against petrol page compares running costs, and the history gives every change.