Fuel prices set to rise again in September

The price of diesel is looking set to increase by around 25 cents a litre from the beginning of September, while 95 Unleaded petrol is likely to increase by 10 cents a litre, but those filling up with 93 Unleaded could actually pay 3 cents less.

This is what the Automobile Association is predicting, based on unaudited month-end data released by the Central Energy Fund.

Those price movements would see the price of 93 Unleaded dropping to R15.69, while 95 would rise to R16.02 inland, and R15.38 at the coast.

The aforementioned increases are purely as a result of a weaker rand and had the local currency stood better ground during the month of August, motorists would have been looking forward to significant decreases:

"The average landed price of fuel dropped across the board during August,” the AA said.

“If the Rand/US dollar exchange rate had remained flat, we could have been looking at a drop of up to 30 cents a litre for diesel and nearly 52 cents for petrol. Unfortunately, continuing Rand weakness means that prices will increase instead.”

The association has urged the government to provide more policy stability as a protection for the local currency.

"There are encouraging noises coming from Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, but these must lead to concrete action. Our concern is that an ever-weakening rand robs motorists of the opportunity to benefit from lower oil prices.”

South African petrol prices are currently just over a rand less than the all-time high recorded in October 2018.

Although fuel prices dropped markedly towards the end of last year, from R16.49 for 95 Unleaded at the coast in October 2018, to R13.43 in January 2019, prices have slowly crept up since, to the current price of R15.28.

Source: IOL

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