39Petrol drivers could see a decent cut at the pumps on Wednesday 2 December 2026, while diesel users are heading the other way. EWN reported on 10 November that preliminary data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) show 93 unleaded petrol falling by about R1.52 a litre and 95 unleaded by around R1.82 once the planned change to the fuel levy relief is included. Diesel could rise by between R1.15 and R1.49 a litre. None of this is final: the month's data are still coming in.
What do the early CEF numbers show?
Every day the CEF compares what fuel should cost, given oil prices and the rand, with what motorists pay now. A positive gap on petrol is called an over-recovery, and it usually ends in a cut. EWN said easing international oil prices and a stronger rand against the US dollar are behind the petrol picture.
| Fuel | Early forecast for 2 December |
|---|---|
| 93 unleaded petrol | down about R1.52 a litre |
| 95 unleaded petrol | down about R1.82 a litre |
| Diesel | up R1.15 to R1.49 a litre, depending on grade |
These figures were reported in the first half of November, and the CEF number moves every day. A forecast made early in the month can look different by month-end.
Why is diesel going up when oil is falling?
Because the temporary tax relief is shrinking. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced in the Medium-Term Budget on 21 October that the general fuel levy would be cut in two steps. From 4 November to 1 December the cut is R1.50 a litre on petrol and R3 on diesel. From 2 December to 5 January 2027 it drops to R1 on petrol and R1.50 on diesel. The cut costs R10 billion, EWN reported, funded by returning money from the Central Energy Fund to the National Revenue Fund.
That means petrol gets 50 cents a litre more tax back in December than in November, and diesel R1.50 more. The petrol saving from lower oil prices is large enough to absorb it. The diesel saving is not.
What could this mean for a full tank?
Take a 50-litre tank. At a cut of R1.52 a litre, filling up with 93 petrol would cost about R76 less. With 95 at R1.82 a litre, the saving is about R91. A diesel bakkie with a 50-litre tank could pay R57.50 to R74.50 more per fill-up. For a household that fills up weekly, the difference over a month is a few hundred rand either way.
Anyone who drives for a living should budget on the low end of the petrol cut and the high end of the diesel rise until the official figures land. Diesel matters beyond bakkies too, because it moves trucks and, in time, grocery prices. Our prime rate guide shows where borrowing costs stand today.
When will the real December fuel price be announced?
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources sets the official prices. EWN expects the announcement towards the end of November, with the change on Wednesday 2 December. Until then every number above is an estimate. Short of cash at month-end? Check what short-term credit really costs in our payday loans cost guide.
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