Following an increase in the price of oil due to the crisis between Iran and Israel, petrol and diesel prices will be raised in South Africa on Wednesday.
The cost of unleaded petrol will go up by 25 cents per gallon for both 93 and 95. Depending on the sulphur concentration, diesel’s wholesale price will increase by either 20 or 21 cents per litre.
Illuminating paraffin’s wholesale price will increase by 21 cents per litre, and the maximum retail price of LP gas will rise by 36 cents per kilogramme.
Fuel prices dropped to their lowest points since February 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted supply chains and limited the import of Russian crude oil, sending oil prices to multi-year highs. This was at the beginning of October.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources stated on Monday that the average price of Brent Crude oil rose from $72.82 per barrel to $75.07 over the last month, following several months of pressure on the price of oil.
“The main contributing factor is the continued conflict in the Middle East and the stand-off between Iran and Israel,” the department said in a statement.
Investors are worried that an Israeli strike on Iran’s oil infrastructure will not only remove Iranian crude from the market but also incite a larger confrontation including other oil exporters in the region.
Since oil is priced in dollars, the rand exchange rate also affects fuel prices in South Africa.
According to the department, the rand averaged R17.53/$ over the previous month, down from R17.68 in September. However, this was insufficient to offset the rising price of oil.