Petrol cut offers little comfort as diesel and paraffin surge, Misa warns

The Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa) has warned that a recent cut to petrol prices risks being overshadowed by steep increases in diesel and illuminating paraffin, which it says will punish the poorest households and push food costs higher.

What changed at the pumps

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced on Monday, 3 August 2026 that petrol prices would fall by 52 cents per litre for both 93‑octane and 95‑octane. At the same time, diesel and paraffin rates rose sharply.

The DMRE figures show diesel with 0.05% sulphur increased by R1.38 per litre and diesel with 0.005% sulphur rose by R1.23 per litre. Illuminating paraffin climbed by R1.52 per litre. Liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) eased, falling by R4.41 per kilogram countrywide and by R5.03 per kg in the Western Cape.

Misa: relief for some, hardship for others

While Misa welcomed the petrol reduction, the union’s operations CEO expressed deep concern about the increases that most affect low‑income households and the food supply chain.

“For millions of the poorest South Africans who depend on paraffin for cooking, heating and lighting, this is not relief; it is a heavier burden. Equally, because diesel powers the trucks that move the nation’s food and goods, a diesel increase threatens to push food prices up at the very moment workers need them to come down.”

Martlé Keyter, CEO of Operations at Misa, warned that the mixed adjustment could leave households worse off even as petrol costs fall.

Calls for government action

Misa urged the government to find ways to cushion vulnerable households from the higher diesel and paraffin costs and to ensure the petrol reduction translates into tangible relief for food and transport expenses.

“We welcome any relief at the petrol pump, but we cannot celebrate a mixed adjustment that raises the cost of paraffin for the poorest families and diesel for the entire food supply chain,” Keyter said.

She also warned against a “double burden” on workers: “When petrol falls, but diesel rises, retailers and taxi operators must not use it as an excuse to keep prices high. The benefit must reach the household budget, not disappear along the way.”

What this means for households

Misa said the increases in diesel and paraffin risk directly affecting household budgets and could lead to higher food prices because diesel powers freight and distribution. The organisation is calling for protective measures for vulnerable families so that the petrol reduction provides meaningful relief.