South African motorists are set to benefit from a substantial decrease in pump prices this February, the latest in economic data and fuel price projections say. The most recent fuel price figures released by the Central Energy Fund (CEF) indicate a surplus situation, contributed in principle by a stronger rand within South Africa and lower prices on global front of crude oil, in the offerings of far lower pump prices. These expected fluctuations form part of the specified customary monthly fuel price change done under the auspices of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).
UTILITY OF PRICE REDUCTION COMING IN FEBRUARY 2026
The CEF reports a widespread over-recovery in the pricing of petrol and diesel, which translates to the fact that the assessed fuel cost elements like international product prices and exchange rates have fallen below the levels used for the purpose of setting the current prices. In the circumstance of an over-recovery, the regulated activity of pricing of fuel should generally fall down, passing on savings to the consumer. The latest predictions are pointing towards a reduction in the pricing of petrol by a range of 66 to 69 cents per litre for the cheap grades, all the way through for diesel and paraffin to have a slender decrease.
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy typically puts resources together which find the complete building of official cost adjustments in the petrol at the end of every month, giving effect to every fresh adjusted price changes in the first Wednesday of the following. For February 2026, this means that the customer will be able to see the revised prices on a sign at service stations around the dry-winter month of June.
Why Prices Are Falling
Several pivotal factors underlie the anticipated decrease. The chief of them is that the Brent crude oil prices have been hovering somewhat below the $50 mark since last year in an effectively glacial manner. The still oil price-small component of basic costs hence brings more relief at the pump gate. The second has been the impish gains on the South African rand against the US dollar, which has thus a bit tamed the cost of importing petroleum products in local currency terms. Both these working forces together generally point to lower fuel costs somewhat if they all stay put during yet another passage through the fuel pricing review period.
Things to Look Forward To for Motorists
They are expected to savour substantially reduced fuel pump prices if the DMREs would say so on the 27th when this cost cuts get confirmed. Most analysts and several fuel-price trackers see it rather courteously as the current painful transport and log yields ought to be slowly alleviated by this new breath of fresh air.
South Africans are urged to wait for the final official petrol price announcement at the end of January 2026 for the precise figures and effective dates.