“It’s Donald Trump’s Fault”: Man Reacts to R8 a Litre Increase on Petrol Prices

• A South African man’s reaction to the predicted R8 petrol hike sparked widespread outrage over salaries versus affordability
• Rising global oil prices, fueled by the US-Israel war on Iran, have pushed Brent crude, threatening South Africa with significant pump increases
• Analysts warn the hike could take effect in early April, with higher fuel costs potentially triggering inflation, economic slowdowns, and consumer strain nationwide
• Byron Pillay from Briefly News spoke to economist and investment expert, Sanisha Packirisamy, about the situation

When the fuel price alert popped up online, many South Africans couldn’t believe their eyes. An R8-per-litre jump at the pumps might be coming, and the blame, at least jokingly on social media, has landed squarely on Donald Trump.

South Africans may soon face one of the steepest fuel price hikes in recent memory, with predictions indicating an increase of up to R8 per litre. The surge has sparked frustration aimed at US President Donald Trump. TikTok user @riaandurand posted a video on 9 March 2026, opening up about how he won’t be able to afford petrol with his teacher's salary. He wrote:

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“I don’t think anyone in South Africa can afford an increase of R8 per litre on petrol! What are we going to do?”

He added that, as a teacher, he might be forced to use a bicycle instead. The looming price jump is tied to soaring global oil costs and a weakening rand. Brent crude has surged from R954 to a record R1,328 per barrel in just weeks, largely due to the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran. Analysts like Alec Hogg of BizNews note the 40% increase has rattled both oil markets and consumer expectations. Petrol prices in South Africa already stand at R19.47 per litre (95 unleaded) on the coast and R20.30 inland, with diesel averaging R17.70 to R18.53.

Fuel price hike expected in April 2026

Economists warn that the conflict could have lingering effects on the global economy, including higher inflation, interest rates, and slower growth. Even if the war ends quickly, damage to supply chains and energy infrastructure may sustain elevated prices for weeks or months. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana noted in the 2026 Budget that South Africa’s fuel adjustments are linked to monthly averages of under-recovery, leaving citizens to face uncertainty at the pumps.

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The potential R8-per-litre increase highlights the country’s vulnerability to global events and underscores the real-world impact of geopolitical crises on everyday South Africans. Netizens flooded the comment section on user @riaandurand's post on how the fuel price will increase, yet salaries remain the same.

Watch the TikTok video below:

Economics expert discusses the rising fuel prices

Speaking to Byron Pillay from Briefly News, economist and investment expert, Sanisha Packirisamy, discussed whether rising fuel prices could trigger wider inflation across food, transport and other essential goods in South Africa.

“Yes, rising fuel prices could feed through into broader inflation across food, transport and other essential goods in South Africa, although the intensity and duration of the impact will depend on whether higher fuel costs prove temporary or sustained, which is in turn dependent on a deal being reached between the United States, Israel and Iran,” Packirisamy said.

Packirisamy noted that fuel acts as both a direct household expense and an indirect input cost across the economy, making it particularly inflationary in a country that remains heavily reliant on road transport.

“According to the Stats SA income and expenditure survey, households in expenditure deciles 9 and 10 allocate roughly 9% of their spending towards fuel and vehicle running costs.

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“This means middle- and upper-income consumers are directly exposed to petrol price increases, which can quickly erode discretionary spending power. However, lower-income households are often more vulnerable indirectly, as they rely more heavily on public transport and food.

"Public transport fees account for roughly 4.5% to 6% of expenditure across several lower expenditure deciles, and these costs tend to be sticky downwards,” she added.

Packirisamy also noted that the inflationary spillover into food prices was particularly important in South Africa, as poorer households spend a disproportionately large share of their income on food.

She further stated that South Africa’s food supply chain was also structurally road-intensive, meaning that a large share of agricultural produce (e.g. 80% of maize) is transported by road due to rail inefficiencies and logistics bottlenecks.

“As fuel prices rise, these transport costs are passed through the value chain, from farmers to retailers and ultimately consumers,” Packirisamy concluded.

Here’s how Mzansi reacted

Sewa_ wrote:

“I’ve already started adjusting, taking a taxi.”

Mandisa Mkhize wrote:

“Guys, how is this the Orange Man's fault? I don’t understand, please explain. 🙏”

Leboh wrote:

“How much is a bicycle. 😳 It’s about time I got fit.”

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Gcoza wrote:

“At the same time, salaries remain stagnant. 😭😭”

Whenthetimeisright wrote:

“Knowing our government, even when the world goes back to normal, prices won’t decrease; bread is going to be R30.”

User9101276068996 wrote:

“Work from home will be a solution or a hybrid solution.”

Sabuzathegreat wrote:

“You will teach online!”

Hope_Empress wrote:

“I pray those predictions don’t come to pass. Also, we have SASOL which produces fuel using coal. Can’t we rely on SASOL and forget all these price hike influences?”

Akani Mboweni wrote:

“My concern is that when things go back to normal, the prices that increased because of this war won’t drop back down. Those inflated prices will likely become the new normal, while our salaries stay the same. 🤦🏾‍♂️”

3 Other Briefly News stories about fuel price hike

• A woman on Instagram shared a clip of what she called Afrikaner 'cowboys' at a drive-thru at McDonald's, sparking reactions about petrol prices.
• The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources hiked fuel prices effective Wednesday, 2 July 2025, sparking reactions.
• Cuba's government on Wednesday delayed a planned 500 percent surge in the fuel price after a 'cybersecurity incident,' an economy ministry official said.

Source: Briefly News