South Africans are being urged to plan ahead and keep their fuel tanks topped up as warnings of petrol and diesel shortages at filling stations across the country grow louder. Civil rights organisation AfriForum has sounded the alarm, confirming that its community safety structures are already receiving reports from multiple regions where stations are running low — or completely out — of certain fuel types, particularly diesel.
The warnings come against the backdrop of escalating conflict in the Middle East, a region that has become critically important to South Africa’s fuel supply chain. What was once a country largely capable of refining its own fuel has, over the past several years, become heavily dependent on imported petroleum products — and that shift is now exposing serious vulnerabilities.
South Africa currently imports approximately 65% of its refined fuel, following the closure of several major refineries in recent years. Only NATREF and Astron Energy remain operational, leaving the country with limited capacity to produce its way through a supply crisis. When global fuel shipments are disrupted, South Africa is now effectively at the mercy of international market availability.
A significant share of the country’s petrol and diesel arrives from Middle Eastern hubs, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. When tensions in the region threaten to restrict or close the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors — fuel shipments destined for South African ports face delays or outright cancellation. The ripple effects reach local forecourts faster than many motorists might expect.
What Is Being Done — and What Motorists Should Do Now
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has moved to reassure the public, stating there is no immediate risk of a complete national fuel dry-out. However, industry bodies have already responded by introducing ratable supply measures — effectively limiting unplanned bulk purchases to prevent stockpiling from accelerating shortages at the pump level.
These controls are designed to stretch existing fuel reserves until alternative shipments from India and West Africa can arrive and stabilise supply. The challenge, however, is that fear itself can become a driving force. Panic buying and opportunistic stockpiling by large consumers can create artificial shortages even when physical supply remains adequate — a cycle South Africa has seen play out before during periods of uncertainty.
AfriForum has been frank about the situation on the ground. The organisation confirmed that filling stations across various parts of the country are already alerting customers to limited or no stock of specific fuel types. While stopping short of declaring a national crisis, the organisation acknowledged that localised shortages can still pose serious risks.
“Although this is not yet a national crisis, fuel shortages locally can still be an inconvenience and even pose safety risks for road users,” AfriForum stated.
Jacques Broodryk, head of Community Safety at AfriForum, offered practical advice for motorists navigating the uncertainty. He warned against waiting until a fuel gauge hits the red before searching for a filling station — a habit that becomes dangerous when supply is unreliable. “At a time when there is great uncertainty about the supply of fuel, it is wise to always maintain a reasonable safety margin,” Broodryk said.
His recommendations are straightforward: keep fuel tanks at least half full at all times, especially before long-distance travel. Motorists should plan their routes in advance, identify reliable filling stations along the way, and avoid unnecessary trips in areas where fuel availability is already strained.
Broodryk emphasised that running out of fuel on the side of a road is not merely an inconvenience — it is a genuine safety risk, particularly at night or in remote areas. “A simple thing like planning ahead with fuel can prevent people from finding themselves in vulnerable situations,” he said.
For now, South Africa is in a holding pattern — waiting on alternative supply shipments while managing existing stock carefully. But the broader structural problem remains: a country that once refined most of its own fuel is now deeply exposed to conflicts and disruptions thousands of kilometres away. Until that dependency is addressed, warnings like these are unlikely to be the last.