South Africa: Easter Travel Gets More Expensive As Diesel Prices Jump 35 Percent

By Rorisang Modiba

Diesel prices increased by 35% compared to last year making long trips much more expensive for drivers during the holidays.

Driving from Johannesburg to Durban in a diesel SUV now costs more than R1,500 because of global oil supply problems.

South Africans traveling during the Easter weekend will face higher costs at the fuel pump. While petrol users will see a small change, diesel drivers will pay much more than they did last year.

Diesel prices have jumped by about 35% compared to last year. This makes long trips very expensive. For example, driving from Johannesburg to Durban in a diesel SUV now costs over R1,500 one way. Last year, that same trip cost less than R1,000, MyBroadband reported.

Petrol prices also went up but the increase is not as large. A trip from Johannesburg to Durban in a petrol car now costs about R980. Last year, the same trip cost around R907. Shorter trips like driving between Polokwane and Pretoria in a Volkswagen Polo Vivo will cost about R20 more than last year.

The government tried to help by cutting the fuel levy by R3.00. This stopped petrol prices from going up by more than R5 per litre. It also stopped diesel from rising by more than R10 per litre.

Even with this help, fuel costs still increased. Petrol went up by about R3.06 per litre. Diesel rose by R7.51 per litre. This is one of the biggest monthly fuel hikes since 1994.

The main reason for these high prices is global tension. Attacks involving the US, Israel and Iran have caused problems for oil supply routes. Toll fees have also increased slightly for those using the roads this weekend.

Drivers using diesel will need to budget much more for their travel. While petrol prices have not changed as much, the cost for all travelers has gone up since last Easter.

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