October Fuel Prices Confirmed: Diesel Users Get a Bit of Relief at the Pumps

South African truckers and diesel users can breathe a small sigh of relief this week, as the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has confirmed slight decreases in diesel prices for October — even as petrol ticks up slightly.

From Wednesday, 1 October, the price of diesel 500ppm will drop by 10 cents per litre, while 50ppm goes down by 8 cents. That means wholesale prices will now be around R18.63 at the coast and R19.39 inland. For long-haul operators and fleet owners, that’s a modest but welcome saving after months of rollercoaster fuel costs.

Petrol users, on the other hand, will pay a little more. 93 Unleaded increases by 1 cent, and 95 Unleaded by 8 cents per litre. At the pumps, that pushes 95 Unleaded to R20.84 at the coast and R21.63 inland, while 93 will cost R21.48 inland. Illuminating paraffin will also ease slightly, dropping 11 cents.

According to the department, a stronger rand helped cushion the impact of rising global oil prices. The local currency averaged R17.49 to the US dollar during the review period, up from R17.73 in the previous one — and even touched R17.30, its best level in a year. That stronger performance shaved roughly 14 cents off the fuel price calculation.

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The slight price drops follow a bigger diesel decrease in September, when both 500ppm and 50ppm fell by more than 50 cents per litre. With international oil prices still relatively low and the rand holding steady, 2025 has seen far less fuel price volatility — diesel and petrol are now roughly where they were at the start of the year.

For the trucking industry, every cent counts, and while October’s adjustments aren’t game-changing, they’re a step in the right direction — especially with the busy festive season freight rush around the corner.