By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Is this the new 2021 Nissan Navara? (Nissan brochure).
January has provided some good news for motorists in South Africa with across-the-board reductions in fuel prices, introduced earlier this week.
The price of petrol dropped by between 68 and 71 cents a litre, with diesel down by between 67.8 and 69.8 cents a litre. While this will bring some relief at the start of the new year, motorists are still paying significantly more than they were a year ago, said the Automobile Association (AA) of South Africa.
It added that current high fuel prices must still be a driving force for a review of the fuel price structure, as well as an audit of the existing prices within that structure.
“We were pleased that our calls in this regard have reached the ears of the minister of finance, Enoch Godongwana. We welcome his pre-Christmas comments that the fuel price structure needs a critical re-look, and we call on him to make quick work of this issue ahead of his 2022 Budget Speech in February.
“Apart from not increasing the existing levies on fuel at all during that speech, we would also like to see an announcement on concrete plans to review the fuel price before the end of the second quarter,” the AA said.
This is how the prices will reflect at the pumps when factoring in the slate levy and other costs.
| Fuel (Inland) | December official | January official |
|---|---|---|
| 95 Petrol | R20.29 | R19.61 |
| 93 Petrol | R20.07 | R19.36 |
| 0.05% diesel (wholesale) | R17.92 | R17.24 |
| 0.005% diesel (wholesale) | R17.97 | R17.28 |
| Illuminating Paraffin | R11.67 | R10.96 |
The table below shows how much you pay to fill up your car’s tank with 95 and 93 unleaded inland in January.
| Tank size | 93 unleaded | Saving in January | 95 unleaded | Saving in January |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 litres | R871.20 | R31.95 | R882.45 | R30.60 |
| 60 litres | R1,161.60 | R42.60 | R1,176.60 | R40.80 |
| 80 litres | R1,548.80 | R56.80 | R1,568.80 | R54.40 |
While it is impossible to accurately track exactly how much petrol you will consume due to traffic and road quality, it is possible to get a rough estimate of how these petrol prices will impact your current petrol allowance based on manufacturer estimates.