Fuel surcharges for transporters in South Africa

Every customer's fuel surcharge, worked out before the diesel price changes.

Add your customers once. We read the official diesel figures every day, show you where next month is heading, and when the new price lands, give you each customer's surcharge and a letter ready to send.

Start free No card for 7 days. Then R299 a month.

Today's diesel, and one customer worked out

The official inland wholesale price, the last change, and what CEF's latest daily sheet points to for next month.

Inland wholesale diesel

0.05% (500ppm)
R31.9549 a litre
0.005% (50ppm)
R32.7989 a litre
In force from
7 October 2026
Last change (0.05% / 0.005%)
+284.38c / +324.38c
Under-recovery this month (0.05% / 0.005%)
141.83c / 131.65c
Indication for the next change
about +R1.42 a litre

This is an indication from CEF's daily sheet of 29 October 2026, not a forecast. Levies and government relief can change the final price, which comes in CEF's notice a few days before the first Wednesday.

Source: CEF daily basic fuel price sheets and CEF monthly press releases.

Try one customer

9.34%

R934.00 a load on top of R10,000.00, on today's official price.

Base R25.9083 a litre (in force from 1 April 2026), now R31.9549 (from 7 October 2026).

Next month, on CEF's latest indication: about 11.53%, or R1,153.00.

Official prices in our store go back to 5 February 2025. For an older rate, sign up and type the diesel price built into it.

How it works

No fleet system and no tracker. Your customers, their rates and the date each rate was set are all it needs.

  1. Add your customers

    Their rate, per load, per km or per month, and the diesel price when it was set. Give the date and we look the price up for you.

  2. Every day it reads the official diesel figures

    CEF's daily sheet on every working day, and the monthly notice as soon as it's out, a few days before the first Wednesday.

  3. Each month: every customer's surcharge, and a letter ready to send

    The new surcharge in percent and in rand for each customer, with a letter that shows the sum and the source.

What you get

Each customer's surcharge, always current

Inland or coastal, 50ppm or 500ppm, your own fuel share per customer. Rounded the way you invoice, floored at zero unless you give a rebate.

A look at next month before it lands

From CEF's daily over- and under-recovery, the likely change in cents and what it would do to each surcharge. Always labelled an indication.

A letter per customer, every month

Base price, new price, the source and the sum, in plain business English. Copy it, email it, or paste it into an invoice. Plain clause wording for customers without one.

The Monday email and a dated record

Every Monday at 07:00: diesel today, where next month is heading, and each customer's likely surcharge. Every month's figures are kept per customer.

The letter

Sample letter. Subject: Fuel surcharge from 7 October 2026Dear Sir or Madam, Our rate of R10,000.00 per load was set on 1 April 2026, when the official inland wholesale price of diesel 0.05% (500ppm) was R25.9083 a litre (in force from 1 April 2026). From 7 October 2026 the official price is R31.9549 a litre. Diesel is about 40% of our cost on this work, so the surcharge is worked out like this: (R31.9549 − R25.9083) ÷ R25.9083 × 40% = 9.34% 9.34% of R10,000.00 = R934.00 per load From 7 October 2026 we will add a fuel surcharge of 9.34%, or R934.00 per load, to our invoices. The rate itself stays the same. Each month we will adjust the surcharge in line with the official price, up or down. Source: Central Energy Fund (CEF), official fuel price adjustment from 7 October 2026. Kind regards

The Monday email

Sample email. Subject: Monday preview: diesel next monthDiesel today: 0.05% R31.9549 and 0.005% R32.7989 a litre (inland wholesale, from 7 October 2026). CEF's daily sheet of 29 October 2026 shows the average under-recovery on diesel 0.05% since 2 October 2026: 141.8 cents a litre (0.005%: 131.7 cents). Indication: if that holds, diesel 0.05% would go up about 142 cents a litre at the next change (likely Wednesday 4 November 2026), to about R33.3749. Your customers: - Sample: building supplies: now 9.34% (R934.00 per load); on the indication about 11.53% (about R1,153.00) - Sample: grain, per km: now 13.01% (R3.71 per km); on the indication about 15.59% (about R4.44) This is an indication, not a forecast: levies and government relief can change the final price.

One plan, everything included

dieselmaat.shop
R299 a month
  • All your customers, inland and coastal
  • Official prices read every working day
  • The next-month indication and the Monday email
  • A letter per customer every month, and clause wording
  • A dated record of every surcharge
Start 7 days free

No card for the 7 days. Cancel at any time. For businesses only.

Questions

How is the surcharge worked out?

Surcharge % = (today's diesel price − the price when your rate was set) ÷ that base price × diesel's share of your costs. You set the share. The Road Freight Association puts diesel at 35% to 55% of operating costs, so we start at 40% and you change it per customer.

Which diesel price do you use?

The inland wholesale price of 0.05% or 0.005% diesel, as you choose. For coastal customers you type your own base price and we move it by the same cents as the official change.

What's the look at next month?

Each day CEF publishes how far the current price is from the month's average basic fuel price. That number usually drives the next change. We show it as an indication. Levies and government relief can change the final price.

When do the numbers change?

Fuel prices change on the first Wednesday of most months. The official notice comes a few days before, and we update every customer as soon as we read it.

Must my customers accept the surcharge?

That depends on your contract. We work out the number and draft the letter. If you have no fuel clause, we give you plain wording to discuss with your customer. It isn't legal advice.

What if diesel falls below my base price?

The surcharge goes to zero. You can switch on a rebate per customer if your agreement gives one.

Do I need a fleet system or tracker?

No. Your customers, their rates and the date each rate was set are all it needs.

Is this for private people?

No. It's for transport businesses and owner-drivers charging business customers.

How much is it?

R299 a month. The first 7 days are free with no card, and you can cancel at any time.

Is this a government service?

No. We read published figures and name the source. We aren't linked to CEF or the Department.

Where the numbers come from

dieselmaat.shop is not a government service and isn't linked to CEF or the Department. It's for businesses only, and nothing on it is legal advice.

Next month's diesel is already moving. Your letters can be ready when it lands.

Add your customers in a few minutes. No card for 7 days.

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