Petrol price surges towards a record R16 a litre

South African drivers are going to have to brace tight, as the Automobile Association (AA) has forecasted that the petrol price could be hiked up to 85 cents per litre in June, while the diesel price could increase by 87 cents a litre and illuminating paraffin will be 82 cents per litre more expensive. Even more shockingly, it’s possible that the price could even rise to R17 a litre in July.

There are several factors causing these shocking increases, but the main cause is the volatile oil price and the country’s fluctuating exchange rate. Political uncertainty surrounding Iran, OPEC and a trade war started by US president Donald Trump are all contributing to the increased oil price, while the weakening of the rand compared to earlier this year has also not helped.

It’s worth noting that R7,50 of the fuel price is fixed; the rest of the price can be attributed to extraneous costs such as fuel levies (R3,50), the Road Accident Fund (R2) and transport and distribution costs.

To try soften the blow of this news, here are some tips on how to save petrol:

• Only use the heater when necessary
• Don’t accelerate to red lights
• Don’t speed unnecessarily
• Don’t use the clutch unnecessarily
• Don’t drive in the incorrect gear
• Don’t overload your vehicle with unnecessary objects
• Make sure that you service and maintain your vehicle to increase fuel efficiency
• Don’t idle in traffic
• Make sure that you plan your route properly and don’t get lost

If you happen to manage a large fleet, Cartrack can help you save fuel in your business with our fuel monitoring product. Click here to find out more.