What November’s petrol cut saves on a 50-litre fill
JOHANNESBURG — A motorist buying 50 litres of petrol saves just 50 cents under the November fuel adjustment. Both 93 and 95 petrol fell by one cent a litre on Wednesday, 4 November, leaving inland 95 unleaded at R30.24 a litre and a 50-litre purchase at R1,512. The cut comes as Discovery Insure reports that its clients are buying smaller quantities more often, even as their everyday driving habits remain largely unchanged.
At the coast, 95 unleaded now costs R29.37 a litre, while inland 93 petrol costs R29.87. Diesel users received a larger reduction at wholesale level: about R1.10 a litre for 0.05% sulphur diesel and R1.20 for 0.005% sulphur diesel. The November prices include temporary fuel levy relief of R1.50 a litre on petrol and R3 on diesel, in effect until 1 December.
Smaller purchases, much the same driving
Discovery Insure analysed fuel transactions and driving data from more than 200,000 clients. Purchases of less than 20 litres accounted for 36% of their transactions in 2026, up from 25% in 2025. During months with larger price increases, the average purchase fell from about 36 litres to 31. At November’s inland 95 price, that five-litre difference reduces the immediate bill by R151.20.
The insurer’s reported 33% drop in fuel purchases captures a shorter period. It compared average daily volumes after October’s petrol increase with the six days before it, when motorists could still buy at the old price. The figure measures purchases among Discovery clients around the price change. Their driving data showed little change in daily travel.
Smaller top-ups have helped motorists limit what they pay on a single visit, but the monthly cost has risen. Average fuel spending among Discovery clients went from about R1,750 a month at the start of 2025 to as much as R2,700 by mid-2026. For a driver now buying 20 litres at a time, November’s petrol cut takes just 20 cents off the bill.
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