Amidst record 2026 fuel price hikes, South Africans have been cutting back significantly on fuel use and travel time. Back in April, petrol went up by R3.06 per litre and diesel jumped by a record R7.51 per litre …
Mercifully, government stepped in with a R3 per litre tax relief to soften the blow or these 2026 fuel price hikes would have been into double digits. Worse still, May increases added another R3.27 per litre to petrol and a crushing R6.18 per litre to diesel.
2026 FUEL PRICE HIKES
As a result, it’s no wonder that motorists are pulling back drastically on their fuel spend. Data from Discovery Insure, tracks the behaviour of over 200 000 clients:
- Fuel purchases dropped by 35% in April.
- Motorists drove less, with trips down 10%.
- Total distance travelled dropped by 9% (even over the Easter weekend).
Robert Attwell, CEO of Discovery Insure, explains: “The data shows a clear and immediate response to 2026 fuel price hikes. Consumers are tightening their belts by driving less, combining trips and being more deliberate about when they use their cars.”
FUEL SPEND DRIVEN BY NECESSITY
Likewise, Discovery Bank’s SpendTrend26 report shows that most fuel spending is driven by necessity. This includes trips like daily commuting to work, school runs and shopping errands. The alternative is trips for leisure taken by choice. However, alternatives are growing. More than 50% of consumers say they’re using ride-hailing services more often than a year ago. And this grows to 70% for those aged 18 to 30.
Nevertheless, as the end of the month draws near, there’s mixed news ahead for further 2026 fuel price hikes. Diesel users are expected to get some relief, with wholesale diesel prices projected to drop by up to R2.44 per litre for 0.05% sulphur grade. Petrol, however, is forecast to rise by around R1.69 per litre.
At the same time, it is understood that the National Treasury is halving its temporary fuel levy relief from June, to R1.50 per litre. And the remaining half will be fully removed in July, if fuel prices maintain a downward trend. Keep an eye out for official fuel price announcement on Wednesday 3 June 2026 from the DMPR before they take effect at midnight.
