Petrol price Drop In SA: After a bumpy beginning to the year, South African drivers have finally found peace at the fuel pumps. From the beginning of April, motorists will pay up to R63 less to fill up than two months ago, as petrol prices roared in their decline across the month of April.
Recap: From Price Hikes To Relief
Petrol prices, hiked from February to R22.41 per litre for petrol 95, following an 82c increase per litre. March had nothing notable to say in terms of reality – just a mere reduction of 7c in cost per litre, something that could not be held against the astronomically skyrocketing figures in fuel expenses of motorists.
It is a very different story with April; the cut is more than substantial 72c per litre, and real value is returned to consumers. Although fuel is still 3c more expensive per litre than before the February spike, this price drop is significant.
Real Savings At The Pump
Depending on the car’s fuel tank capacity, here is how much will be paid less to fill the tank compared to February:
| Tank Size | Feb 2025 (R22.41/litre) | Apr 2025 (R21.62/litre) | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 litres | R672.30 | R648.60 | – R23.70 |
| 40 litres | R896.40 | R864.80 | – R31.60 |
| 50 litres | R1,120.50 | R1,081.00 | – R39.50 |
| 60 litres | R1,344.60 | R1,297.20 | – R47.40 |
| 70 litres | R1,568.70 | R1,513.40 | – R55.30 |
| 80 litres | R1,792.80 | R1,729.60 | – R63.20 |
These are certainly visible savings, regardless of whether you get around in a compact hatch or a huge SUV. This may really alter a person’s budget every month, specifically that of an average commuter or delivery driver.
Why Fuel Prices Dropped
Two key aspects have played their roles in lowering prices:
- Brent Crude Oil Prices Drop: Through the month of March, the price per barrel dropped at one point from $74.89 to $71.04 due to supply from non-OPEC countries.
- Rand Strengthened (Briefly): As the rand improved marginally from R18.50 to R18.30 vis-a-vis the US dollar within March, it was advantageous to the reduction of import costs for fuel.
The Catch – A Business in a Volatile Market
It brought good news in April, but worries still loom over the future in addition. After the announcement by former US President Donald Trump about new global tariffs, the rand again lost weight, sliding to R19.58 a dollar. Such an outcome might see petrol prices push back up in May.
Among the identified decisions of OPEC to possibly increase oil production this month, it would somewhat act as a damper but instability will still reign high in the future.
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