Fuel to increase by 29 cents

Motorists will have to dig deeper into their pockets as the petrol price is to increase by 29 cents at midnight tonight.

The Energy Department announced that the price of petrol across all grades will rise by 29 cents making it R10.25 cents a litre in Gauteng. At the coast, a litre of petrol will cost motorists R9.95 cents.

The prices will come into effect on Wednesday, 3 May 2011. This comes after a massive 54 cents increase in April.

The price of Diesel 0.05% Sulphur and Diesel 0.005% Sulphur will each increase by 16 cents.

The cost of Illuminating Paraffin (Wholesale) is set to increase by 15 cents while Illuminating Paraffin (SMNRP) will increase by 20 cents a litre. The Maximum Retail Price for LPGAS will increase by 53 cents per kilogram.

"During the period under review, the average international product prices of Petrol, Diesel and Illuminating Paraffin increased. The average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate strengthened when compared to the previous period. The average Rand/US Dollar exchange rate for the period 1 April to 27 April 2011 was 6.7701 compared to 6.9512 during the previous period," said the Department on Energy.