The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) has corrected a significant error in its diesel price announcement. The wholesale price of diesel will rise by R5.27 per litre instead of the initially announced R6.19 per litre, effective Wednesday. Petrol prices remain set to increase by R3.27 per litre.
The DMPR announced the initial diesel price hike of R6.19 per litre on Monday, May 4, 2026. On Tuesday, May 5, it issued a correction, stating that an error occurred in calculating the fuel levy reduction.
“During the calculation of fuel prices for May 2026, the additional 93.00 cents per litre reduction in the fuel levy on diesel was erroneously captured as 0.93 cents per litre. This resulted in a higher increase in the wholesale price of R6.19 per litre instead of R5.27 per litre for diesel,” said the DMPR.
The corrected diesel price now stands at R31.17 per litre. Petrol prices for all grades will increase by R3.27 per litre as previously announced, while illuminating paraffin faces a R4.22 per litre hike, according to SABC News.
The adjustment takes effect on the first Wednesday of the month, with the correction issued late on Tuesday. This miscalculation follows a series of errors by the DMPR, formerly the DMRE, under Minister Gwede Mantashe, including delays in mining data and the Mineral Resources Development Bill.
