A sharp fuel price hike that took effect today (6 May), has deepened South Africa’s cost-of-living crisis, with motorists now facing record-high petrol and diesel prices driven by global oil disruptions.

Petrol has increased by R3.27 per litre and diesel by R5.27, pushing prices to about R25.80 for 95 unleaded and R26.52 for 93, while diesel has surpassed R30 per litre for the first time due to the Middle East conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Neil Roets, chief executive officer of Debt Rescue, warned that the increase signals “imminent disaster” for South African households already under financial strain.

“The reality is that the latest petrol price disaster exposes the extent of a far deeper cost-of-living crisis, driven by the fuel price increases, higher electricity and water tariffs and ongoing food inflation, which has pushed people to the very limits of their financial resources. This is deeply concerning.”

He said the increases are already impacting daily life, with higher transport, food and living costs.

The knock-on effect

Findings from the SpendTrend26 report, which combines data from Visa and Discovery Bank, show that most fuel purchases are driven by the necessity of daily routines such as commuting to work, school runs and errands.

According to new data from Discovery Insure, South African motorists have already significantly cut back on petrol and diesel use, following the sharp increases of April 2026, buying 35% less fuel in April compared to March.

Data shows that trips taken are down 10%, and the total distance travelled dropped by 9%.

A blow to food sources

The country’s agricultural industry, which mostly runs on diesel, is among the hardest hit by the jump in fuel prices and this will have devastating consequences for consumers, especially those in the lower-income range.

“The spiralling oil prices have triggered a severe economic impact in South Africa, creating a ‘cost of survival’ crisis for consumers and heavily taxing the agricultural sector. This is because fuel price hikes are raising production costs and driving up food prices,” notes Roets.

Alternative Solutions

Roets said while the petrol price hikes may be out of our control, there are practical ways to stretch every litre a little further:

1. One of the most practical solutions is carpooling with friends or colleagues, as this can have a significant impact on monthly petrol costs, freeing up much-needed income.

2. Use of loyalty cards to combat record-high prices: focussing on “double-swiping” using a fuel station’s rewards card in tandem with a partnered bank or grocery loyalty programme to earn two layers of points or cashback on a single transaction, can save a meaningful sum of money every month.

3. Motorists can adopt efficient driving habits such as reducing consumption by maintaining a steady 100km/h highway speed, avoiding the heavy fuel-surge of stop-start traffic through better momentum management and grouping multiple errands into a single “loop” to ensure the engine operates at its most efficient temperature.

4. Fuel efficiency can be improved by removing empty roof racks or bike carriers to reduce wind drag and clearing out unnecessary weight from the boot.

Roets advised consumers who cannot break free from their financial constraints to seek help from a registered debt counsellor who can assist them to manage their financial predicament.

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