South Africa’s long-squeezed motorists might find fresh relief next month as recent datafrom the Central Energy Fund (CEF) data points to meaningfulfuel pricecuts in February — a rare bright spot in a world rattled by geopolitical theatrics and jittery oil markets. In an unexpected twist, the rand has staged its strongest run in more than three years, overpowering a rise in international oil prices and clearing the runway for across-the-board reductions at the pumps. With the rand rally, motorists are finally winning at the pumps, just as cash-strapped consumers emerge from January — the longest and toughest month on the national wallet — and start hunting for spare rand to mark Valentine’s Day.
February has become another big-spending stretch, with younger generations splurging on the growing economy of love and romance. Mid-month indicators from the CEF show robust over-recoveries for both petrol and diesel, signalling potential decreases of: The projected cuts come after a turbulent spell in global markets. A diplomatic dust-up — triggered by US President Donald Trump’s provocative threat that America would take control of Greenland “one way or another” — sparked a brief but sharp standoff with the European Union, complete with tariff warnings.
Oil prices jumped from $62 to $65 a barrel before tension cooled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, easing fears of yet another global trade war. Earlier forecasts dangled the prospect of even steeper reductions — more than R1 a litre for petrol and more than R1.60 for diesel — but the oil price wobble has since trimmed those gains. The real game-changer has been the rand’s surge to R16.09 to the dollar, its firmest footing in three and a half years.
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The greenback has softened amid Washington’s controversial foreign policy manoeuvres, while South Africa has enjoyed a rare confluence of positive domestic developments. These include its removal from thegrey listof theFinancial Action Task Forcefounded by G7 countries in Paris, France, in 1989; the country’s first sovereign ratings upgrade in two decades and a firmer growth outlook of 1.5% for 2026 and 2027. The combination has helped insulate consumers from the full brunt of rising oil prices and for once, tilted the balance in favour of motorists.
Fuel is a major inflation driver. A meaningful cut eases pressure on households, taxi operators, logistics and food prices. At last after the festive season’s high-spending tradition, South Africa’s motorists are finally in line for some long-overdue relief at the pumps.
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