Major Fuel Filling Stations Ordered to Hike Diesel Prices by Up to R27.50 per Litre

• TotalEnergies reportedly raised its diesel prices to R27.50 per litre amid increased sales and global crisis pressures
• Filling station owners were instructed to implement price hikes of up to R8 per litre starting 25 March 2026
• South Africans reacted on social media, debating the legality and necessity of the diesel price increase

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

GAUTENG, JOHANNESBURG - TotalEnergies has reportedly increased diesel prices at some of its service stations in South Africa, with pump prices reaching about R27.50 per litre.

Owners instructed to implement increases

According to reports from MyBroadband, the price hike was first observed at a TotalEnergies station in Douglasdale, Johannesburg, while reports indicate that filling station owners were instructed to implement increases. A leaked letter from TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa (TMSA) stated that the company advised station owners to gradually raise diesel prices by up to R8 per litre. The move was described as a precaution to prevent stock shortages amid rising demand.

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The letter stated that the company had seen a notable increase in diesel sales across its network and expected further pressure due to current global conditions. It added that the global crisis had already pushed wholesale diesel prices up by about R6 per litre, along with higher logistics costs. TMSA said the increases would be implemented in stages from Wednesday, 25 March 2026, starting with a R6 per litre hike, followed by additional R1 increases on Thursday and Friday.

Reports indicate that some stations, including one in Bloemfontein, had already applied the full R8 per litre increase, while a station in Cape Town confirmed an overnight adjustment. The increases come ahead of the official fuel price adjustment, with the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources expected to publish new wholesale diesel prices next week.

Briefly News has reached out to TotalEnergies for comment and is awaiting a response.

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What did South Africans say?

Social media shared their thoughts on the station increasing diesel prices at some of its stations.

@masindii said:

"I arrived at this petrol station, the petrol attendant then said we increased the price last night. kante how does this thing work?"

@Freshe62796650 said:

"Diesel prices are deregulated, unlike petrol. So there is nothing illegal about this."

@divviej said:

"Nothing like a head start on supposedly unknown fuel hike values."

@RoosJJ99 said:

"We need to stop exporting fuel to other African countries until we know that we have enough."

@Goolam92442596 said:

"They not allowed to do that before hand report them."

Fears of pump manipulation after R29.85 viral video

Briefly News also reported that a viral video showing diesel selling at nearly R30 a litre in Durban has sparked concerns that some fuel stations may be inflating prices.

With diesel prices not directly regulated like petrol, questions are growing over whether gaps in the system are being exploited

Source: Briefly News