South African Truckers Cross the Border to Save On Fuel

27 March 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Dylan Bettencourt
  • Botswana currently charges about R19.27 a litre for petrol, far cheaper than South Africa's expected April inland price of R25.92.
  • Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly said refuelling in Botswana is legal if drivers stick to their vehicle's own tanks.

South African transport companies are watching Botswana's fuel prices closely as a big increase approaches on 1 April.

The Botswana Energy Regulatory Agency (BERA) said Botswana will only adjust its fuel prices during the first week of April. Until then, prices there stay the same.

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Botswana currently charges about R19.27 a litre for 95-octane petrol and R20.28 a litre for diesel, according to Global Petrol Prices.

In South Africa, the inland price of 95-octane petrol is expected to reach about R25.92 a litre from 1 April. Diesel will rise to roughly R27.91 a litre, and paraffin will go up by more than R11 a litre. The fuel levy also goes up by 21 cents a litre on that date.

If Botswana holds its current prices into early April, the gap between the two countries could reach up to R10 a litre.

Road Freight Association (RFA) CEO Gavin Kelly said transport companies could drive relatively empty trucks to Botswana to refuel, News24 reported.

"As a short-term solution to cheaper fuel, this would indeed be advantageous," Kelly said. "As long as fuel in excess of what is stored for the propulsion of the vehicle is not transported across a border, this is neither illegal nor unusual."

Kelly said bulk-buying and transporting fuel across the border would fall under customs import regulations and duties.

Unitrans freight executive Sean Jackson said operators travelling into or through Botswana may choose to refuel there if pricing is lower. But for Unitrans, refuelling decisions are managed within existing route and supply frameworks. Jackson said the company had not experienced any direct operational disruption ahead of 1 April.

Kelly said the broader impact of the April hikes would be severe. Many transporters are concerned their clients will not accept the fuel increases and will stop working with them, he said.

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