![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark.9539185f.png\"\/){kind=icon}
<\/a>![\"Follow](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/google_news_badge.2b8dbf20.webp.webp\"\/){kind=icon}
<\/a><\/p>\nCape Town residents rushed to fill their tanks ahead of the latest petrol price increase, but for many, the real impact is only beginning to sink in as fears grow over rising transport costs, food prices and daily expenses.<\/p>\n
At a petrol station in Kloof Street, the hours before midnight brought a surge of anxious motorists trying to beat the hike.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rush was very hectic. Everyone wanted to get their tanks full before the price went up,\u201d said petrol station manager Vengai Chinoingira. \u201cPeople are genuinely concerned because the price went up by so much. It\u2019s never increased like this before so people are worried and being vigilant.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the spike in demand reflected widespread concern about what lies ahead. \u201cIf things keep going the way they are, we could see another rush at the end of April. We just hope that the government can intervene so that price won\u2019t climb much higher than what it is now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across the city, that concern is shifting from the pumps to people\u2019s pockets.<\/p>\n
In the Cape Town CBD, Lekholo Moniwe said the increase is already weighing on residents and the broader economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe petrol price is killing us. It has really affected our economy and it\u2019s going to continue to do so in the near future,\u201d he said. \u201cOn a personal level, the increase still feels far to come but it\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
For commuters, the pressure is more immediate, with transport and grocery costs expected to rise in tandem.<\/p>\n
At the MyCiTi terminal on Adderley Street, Obakeng Sibiti stood waiting for a bus, bags of groceries in hand, as he considered how the increase could affect his monthly budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve just come from the shop and the prices weren\u2019t as high as I was expecting. Unfortunately, I think from tomorrow and the day after, we will see them really start climbing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sibiti, who relies on public transport, said he expects fares to follow fuel prices upward.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always use the MyCiTi bus and buy a monthly ticket, which costs me around R1000, but I know this price is going to go up significantly very soon,\u201d he said. \u201cEverything is about to become much more expensive and it really gives cause for concern.\u201d<\/p>\n
For those who depend on their vehicles to earn a living, the increase is already forcing difficult decisions.<\/p>\n
Hout Bay resident Keith Johnston said he is likely to adjust his pricing to absorb rising fuel costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI filled up yesterday and I know I will probably have to fill-up again on Friday. I usually put in R500 at a time which gives me about 200km,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m in business and work for myself so I will have to think about charging my clients a little extra.\u201d<\/p>\n
He warned that the ripple effects would extend beyond motorists.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can deal with the price if it goes up by R3 but what worries me is the impact on the taxi industry and people who transport goods to various shops,\u201d he said. \u201cThis increase fuels inflation and is going to cause the cost of everything to go up. At the end of the day, it\u2019s the people that have to deal with the knock-on effect of all of this stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Economists warn the impact is compounded by structural challenges, including long commuting distances and limited reliable public transport, leaving many households exposed to fuel shocks.<\/p>\n
A businesswoman from Gardens, who asked to remain anonymous, said while she understood some of the global factors behind the increase, she remains sceptical about whether prices will come down meaningfully.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe price going up is not nice but it\u2019s something that is important to help free the people of Iran from a dictatorship. If the world can help, I\u2019m happy with that,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat does worry me though is that in South Africa, prices generally go up quite a lot before coming down a bit. I highly doubt the petrol price will come down the whole amount.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the impact would likely be felt in shops as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt also means your in-store buying prices are going to go up because of the price of fuel,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m also skeptical that those prices will ever come back. We might get a small percentage off but they are going to keep the prices up.\u201d<\/p>\n
For some residents, the only option may be to rethink how they get around.<\/p>\n
Limbani Banda, a Malawian national working at a restaurant in Kloof Street, said the rising cost of fuel is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw on the news that the price was going up and it\u2019s definitely going to affect motorists and transport in general. I know it\u2019s going to be a big problem,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really concerned about my transport because I\u2019m driving to work every day and doing this is going to be costing me a lot more in future.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said he may need to consider alternatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe I will buy a motorbike or start cycling to work. I might even have to start walking because using a car is becoming so expensive,\u201d he said. \u201cI think the petrol price is just going to keep climbing and in the end, it\u2019s going to be too much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges, he tried to find a positive angle. \u201cOn the plus side, the higher petrol price is going to force us to become much fitter.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the increase takes effect, many residents say the uncertainty is what weighs most heavily.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole situation is a bit embarrassing and we don\u2019t know the way forward,\u201d Banda said. \u201cWe\u2019ll just have to wait and see. Maybe the price will come down. Maybe it will go up even more. So far\u2026 it\u2019s not looking good.\u201d<\/p>\n