Ramaphosa Weighs Fuel Price Relief as Petrol Prices Push Higher

South African motorists are again facing painful fuel bills, and government is now openly considering whether any relief is possible. According to Newsroom ZA, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the state is looking at possible measures after petrol climbed to nearly R30 a litre. He acknowledged that the higher prices are putting pressure on both consumers and businesses.

The latest increase is steep by any ordinary measure. Newsroom ZA reports that 93-octane petrol rose by R3.12 per litre, while 95-octane petrol went up by R3.33 per litre. That means every trip to the filling station now carries a sharper cost, whether for private motorists or for businesses that depend on transport to keep goods moving.

Ramaphosa linked the rise to the war in the Middle East and said the effects are being felt internationally. In plain terms, the problem is not being presented as a purely local issue. The president said government is exploring what can be done, but he also warned that any intervention would affect the country’s finances.

That point matters because fuel relief is not a free fix. According to Newsroom ZA, Ramaphosa said steps that lower fuel costs could draw on government reserves and weaken the country’s fiscal position. He added that any decision would need careful thought and could not happen straight away. So while relief is being discussed, there is no immediate commitment on the table.

At the same time, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has drawn a line through one possible option. Newsroom ZA reports that she has ruled out asking National Treasury for a higher fuel levy while she remains in office. Her view is that consumers are already under heavy financial strain and that the priority should be fixing the Road Accident Fund.

The RAF is relevant here because it is funded through the fuel levy. According to the report, it has long faced financial and management problems. Creecy said the RAF board was dissolved last year and replaced by an interim board, and she added that Cabinet has approved the process of appointing a new chief executive officer. Her department is now concentrating on improving the fund’s finances, management, governance and accountability.

So where does this leave motorists? Newsroom ZA reports that the Motor Industry Staff Association wants a temporary return of relief through the General Fuel Levy. The group pointed to the April intervention, when Treasury cut the General Fuel Levy by R3 per litre and reduced the diesel levy to zero. That relief has now ended, which means drivers are once again paying the full levy.

The current levy amounts matter because they shape the final price at the pump. According to the report, motorists are now exposed to the full levy of R4.10 per litre on petrol and R3.93 per litre on diesel. For households already juggling rising costs, and for businesses watching transport expenses closely, those figures help explain why fuel pressure has become such a live political issue.

For now, the position is simple. Government is considering options, but no new fuel relief measure has been announced. South Africans may hear more about this in time, but at this stage the discussion is still open, and the trade-offs are clearly part of it.