South Africans Pay More for Water and Security After Fuel Increase

1 April 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Dylan Bettencourt
  • Diesel prices went up by R7.51 and petrol by R3.06 on Wednesday after oil flows in the Middle East stopped.
  • Security companies and water suppliers are charging extra fees while taxi associations warn that taxi fares could soon go up.

Fuel prices jumped on Wednesday, 1 April. Diesel went up by R7.51 a litre. Petrol increased by R3.06. This happened after the US and Israel attacked Iran in February. The attack stopped oil from moving through the Middle East.

Security firms are raising their monthly bills. Fidelity ADT added R10 to their fees from 1 April. Their 1,000 vehicles drive more than 90-million kilometres every year. Beagle Watch added a monthly fee of R21.85, News24 reported.

Water company Aquazania is charging R4.85 more for each bottle of water. Courier Guy also added a temporary fee for parcels sent by air. Terry Gale of the Western Cape Exporters' Forum said customers will pay for these costs in the end.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

Airlines like SAA and FlySafair added fuel charges in March. FlySafair said fuel costs increased by 70%. Shipping company MSC added a charge of about R2,400 for every container. This makes moving goods much more expensive.

Santaco president Abnar Tsebe said taxi associations might have to raise fares soon. He called for the government to help the industry. The government cut the fuel levy by R3 until May to help people.

But many businesses said they cannot pay the extra costs. They are passing these costs on to customers. Shoprite and Pick n Pay are keeping delivery fees at R36 and R35 for now to protect people.

The Competition Commission is watching for shops that cheat people by raising prices too much. They are worried about price gouging. People can report high prices to the commission on WhatsApp at 084 743 0000.

Read the original article on Scrolla.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2026 Scrolla. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.