April 2026 Fuel Crisis|+R5.07/litre on Petrol

Understand How
Fuel Prices Affect You

South Africa's most comprehensive fuel intelligence platform. See exactly how the price shock impacts your wallet, your community, and the entire economy — explained in plain language anyone can understand.

R25.26
Per Litre
Petrol 93 Inland
25.1%
Price Increase
Since March 2026
R650+
Monthly Extra
Average Household
60M
People Affected
South Africans
Powered by
GameTheory
Brent Crude$97.00+$28.00
ZAR/USDR18.50+R2.50
Petrol 93R25.26+R5.07
Diesel 0.05%R27.74+R9.37
Sport GVAR155.1bn+2.4%
Chemical Index1,247+3.2%
Brent Crude$97.00+$28.00
ZAR/USDR18.50+R2.50
Petrol 93R25.26+R5.07
Diesel 0.05%R27.74+R9.37
Sport GVAR155.1bn+2.4%
Chemical Index1,247+3.2%
Scenario Engine by GameTheory

How Does This Affect You Personally?

Choose a profile that matches your situation. We will show you exactly how much more you will pay — in Rands and cents, not confusing percentages. Every number is explained in plain language.

Step 1: Who Are You?

Your Situation: Township Commuter

You travel from Soweto to Sandton every day. This is how the fuel increase hits your pocket.

1,200 km per month8L/100km consumptionUses Petrol 93

Step 2: Adjust Your Monthly Kilometres

Drag the slider to match how far you actually drive each month

1,200km/month
200 km (minimal driving)15,000 km (professional driver)
Your Direct Fuel Cost Increase
+R487

extra per month on fuel alone

Before April

R1938

After April

R2425

Litres needed monthly96L
Price per litre increase+R5.07
Percentage increase+25.1%
Annual Impact

R5,841

extra per year just on fuel

Of every R25.26 you pay, R6.94 (27.5%) goes directly to government taxes.

That is R666 per month from YOUR pocket to government, based on your driving.

The Hidden Costs: Everything Else Gets More Expensive

Fuel does not just cost more at the pump. When transport costs rise, EVERY business passes that cost to you. Here is what to expect:

Your Total Monthly Impact (Fuel + Everything Else)

Direct Fuel Cost

+R487

Ripple Effects (estimated)

+R1280

Total Monthly Extra

+R1767

That is approximately R21,201 extra per year flowing out of your pocket due to the April 2026 fuel price shock.

Analysis methodology byGameTheory

Your Impact Score

Personal crisis assessment

0out of 100
Severe Impact

Major lifestyle changes needed

Direct Fuel ImpactR487/mo
Ripple Effects (Food, Transport, etc.)R1280/mo
Total Monthly HitR1767

That's R5841 extra per year just from fuel

What R1767/month could buy:

  • 50 loaves of bread
  • 4 weeks of groceries for one person
  • 22 taxi trips
  • 9 school lunches

Your Achievements

1/6 Unlocked

Knowledge Seeker

+100 pts

Local Explorer

+150 pts

Deep Diver

+200 pts

Awareness Champion

+300 pts

Empathy Master

+500 pts

Savings Hero

+400 pts

Impact Score powered byGameTheory
Savings Challenge

Fight Back: Your Savings Plan

You cannot control global oil prices, but you CAN control how much fuel you use. Select strategies below to build your personal savings plan. Each tip includes real South African examples.

Your Potential Monthly Savings

1 strategies selected

R350

per month

Savings vs. Current Fuel Cost14% reduction possible

Annual savings: R4,200

TransportMedium

Start a Carpool

Share your commute with neighbours or colleagues going the same direction

R400-800/month
Driving HabitsEasy

Eco-Driving Techniques

Simple changes to how you drive can reduce fuel consumption by 15-25%

R200-500/month
PlanningEasy

Combine Errands

Plan your trips to do multiple things in one journey instead of separate trips

R150-400/month
TransportMedium

Use Public Transport 2x/Week

Take the bus, train, or taxi just twice a week to significantly cut fuel costs

R350-700/month
TimingEasy

Fuel Up Off-Peak

Fill up early morning when fuel is denser (you get slightly more) and prices may be lower

R50-150/month
ShoppingEasy

Shop Closer to Home

Choose shops within 5km of home instead of driving across town for sales

R200-450/month
MaintenanceMedium

Keep Your Car Healthy

A well-maintained car uses 10-15% less fuel than a neglected one

R150-350/month
WorkHard

Negotiate Work-From-Home Days

Ask your employer for 1-2 remote work days per week

R300-600/month

This Week's Challenge

Eco-Driving Week: Focus on gentle acceleration and maintaining steady speeds. Track your fuel consumption this week vs. last week. Share your results!

Goal: 15% fuel reduction|Reward: +200 Impact Points
Savings strategies byGameTheory
Regional Impact Explorer

How Is Your Province Affected?

South Africa's 9 provinces are impacted differently. Click on any province to see local issues, affected businesses, and city-by-city breakdowns. Understand how your community is being hit.

Click a Province to Explore

GPWCKZNECLPMPNWFSNC

Provinces

GP
WC
KZN
EC
LP
MP

Select a province on the map to see detailed impact data, local issues, and affected businesses.

R11.8bn

Total Monthly Impact

60 million

People Affected

2.5M+

Businesses Impacted

Select a Province

Click on any province on the map to see detailed demographics, current issues, city breakdowns, and how local businesses are affected by the fuel price increase.

Regional analysis byGameTheory
Real South Africans

The Human Cost: Real Stories

Behind every statistic is a real person struggling to make ends meet. These are the voices of South Africans facing the fuel crisis head-on.

Nomvula Dlamini

Single Mother, Domestic Worker

Khayelitsha, Western Cape

I take two taxis to get to work in Constantia. The fare went up from R25 to R35 each way. That is R200 extra per week I do not have. I now leave home at 4am to walk part of the way.

R800/month extra on transport

Challenge: May have to quit one of her two cleaning jobs because transport cost exceeds the pay

Themba Mokoena

Taxi Owner & Driver

Soweto, Gauteng

I own one taxi and drive it myself. My fuel cost jumped from R6,000 to R9,500 per month. I had to raise fares, but passengers are angry. Some are walking now. Less passengers means less income.

R3,500/month extra fuel cost

Challenge: Caught between rising costs and passengers who cannot afford higher fares

Pieter van der Merwe

Commercial Farmer

Bethlehem, Free State

My tractors use 800 litres of diesel per month during planting. That is R7,500 extra. The truck to market costs R4,500 more. I have to increase maize prices, but buyers say they will not pay more.

R12,000/month extra on operations

Challenge: Food prices must rise or farms will fail - there is no other option

Ayanda Khumalo

University Student

Durban, KZN

I drive a small car from Umlazi to UKZN. My parents give me R1,500 for fuel monthly. Now I need R2,100. They cannot afford it. I am looking at moving to res but there is no space.

R600/month shortfall

Challenge: May have to defer studies if transport becomes unaffordable

Sarah Jacobs

Spaza Shop Owner

Mitchells Plain, Cape Town

My suppliers increased delivery fees by 15%. I buy bread, milk, airtime - everything costs more to get to my shop. I raised prices but customers are buying less. Some say I am greedy, but I am just surviving.

Profit margin down from 20% to 8%

Challenge: Small businesses absorb costs or lose customers - both options hurt

David Moyo

Long-Distance Truck Driver

Johannesburg, Gauteng

I drive JHB to Durban twice a week. My boss says the company cannot absorb the fuel increase. They are cutting staff. I have 15 years experience but younger drivers cost less. I am scared.

Job at risk

Challenge: Transport companies cutting costs by reducing workforce

Your Story Matters

Every South African is affected differently. Understanding the real human impact helps us advocate for better policies and support each other through this crisis.

Data collected and verified byGameTheory
Plain Language Explainers

Understand The Full Picture

Fuel pricing is complicated. We break down every aspect in simple terms so you can understand exactly why you are paying what you are paying.

Research and analysis byGameTheory
Intelligence Platforms

One Hub, All Intelligence

Access every sector-specific intelligence platform from one place. Real-time data, AI-powered insights, built for South Africa.

Coming Soon — 10 More Platforms

Healthcare Intelligence

Coming Soon

Hospital capacity, medicine supply chains, healthcare worker distribution, and pandemic preparedness metrics.

Hospitals: 400+Clinics: 3,500+

Retail & Consumer

Coming Soon

Consumer spending patterns, retail sales indices, inflation tracking, and shopping basket analytics.

CPI: 5.2%Retail Sales: +3.1%

Tourism Intelligence

Coming Soon

Tourist arrivals, accommodation occupancy, travel spend, and destination performance tracking.

Arrivals: 8.5MSpend: R82bn

Education Analytics

Coming Soon

School performance, university throughput, skills development, and education budget allocation.

Schools: 25,000Learners: 13M

Property & Real Estate

Coming Soon

Property prices, rental yields, construction activity, and housing affordability indices.

Avg Price: R1.2MGrowth: +4.2%

Labour & Employment

Coming Soon

Unemployment rates by province, sector job creation, wage trends, and skills gaps analysis.

Unemployment: 32.1%Jobs Lost: 2.2M

Manufacturing Index

Coming Soon

Factory output, production indices, export volumes, and industrial capacity utilisation.

PMI: 51.2Output: +2.1%

Agriculture Dashboard

Coming Soon

Crop yields, livestock numbers, food security indices, and agricultural export tracking.

Maize: 16.4MTExports: R180bn

Logistics & Freight

Coming Soon

Port efficiency, rail tonnage, road freight volumes, and supply chain performance.

Port TEUs: 4.8MRail Tons: 156MT

Financial Services

Coming Soon

Banking sector health, insurance penetration, investment flows, and financial inclusion metrics.

Bank Assets: R7.2TJSE Cap: R18T
All platforms powered byGameTheory