Motorists will get temporary relief at the pump from 4 November after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana cut the general fuel levy in his mini-budget.

"To provide temporary relief, the fuel levy will be reduced by R3.00 per litre for diesel and R1.50 per litre for petrol," Godongwana said. The pump-price effect is an estimate and this story is developing.

What was announced

The cut applies in two stages, according to published coverage of the budget. From 4 November to 1 December 2026 the levy falls by R1.50 a litre on petrol and R3 a litre on diesel. From 1 December until 5 January 2027 the reduction is R1 a litre on petrol and R1.50 a litre on diesel.

Treasury director-general Duncan Pieterse said the relief is appropriate given fuel prices, provided it can be funded without breaching fiscal targets. High fuel prices have been linked in coverage to the conflict between the United States and Iran.

What it means at the pump

Early data had pointed to a petrol increase of more than R2 a litre in November. According to one published projection, the petrol cut is largely cancelled out by expected under-recoveries of about R1.52 a litre, leaving relief of roughly 2 cents short of the full amount. That projection puts petrol at about R30.27 a litre, a possible new record.

These are projections, not official prices. Official November adjustments are set by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and are normally announced shortly before the first Wednesday of the month. Confirm the date.

Cost to the fiscus

Treasury says the relief will cost about R10 billion in foregone revenue between November and January. Pieterse said fiscal space opened up because of higher revenue and lower-than-expected spending, and that relief depends on new revenue. Without it, he said, relief would force a deviation from the fiscal plan.

Gross tax revenue is projected to be R17.1 billion above the February estimate, driven largely by higher precious metals prices, according to coverage of the statement.

What we do not yet know

  • The step-down figures from 1 December and the R30.27 petrol estimate each come from a single report and need a second confirmation.
  • The official November fuel price announcement has not been made.
  • Whether the relief is extended beyond 5 January 2027 has not been stated.