The prices of most grades of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin would decrease from one minute past midnight on January 4, the Department of Minerals and Energy announced on Thursday.
The retail price of 93 unleaded petrol (ULP) and lead replacement petrol (LRP) would decrease by six cents a litre from R5,42 to R5,36.
LRP is the new fuel to be used in cars which previously used leaded petrol — in line with the government’s phasing out of leaded petrol from January 1, said the department’s spokesperson, Malebo Mhape.
The inland price for 95 ULP would increase four cents, because of transport costs and demand, from R5,45 to R5,49, the department said.
At the coast, the retail price of 95 ULP and LRP would decrease six cents a litre from R5,32 to R5,26.
The wholesale price of diesel with a 0,3% sulphur content would decrease by seven cents to R5.17 a litre.
The wholesale price of diesel with 0,05% sulphur would decrease by 12 cents to R5,04 cents per litre.
Mhape said the national maximum retail price of illuminating paraffin would go down two cents from R3,78 to R3,76 per litre.
”One of the factors leading to the decreases is the rand’s strengthening against the US dollar as compared to the same period last year,” she said. – Sapa