A leaked TotalEnergies memo dated around 24 March 2026 suggests the company began pushing through a diesel price jump in South Africa before the official April adjustment period. The document reportedly details a staged rollout that ends with a headline increase to R27.50 per litre in some areas—an overall rise of about R8.
South Africans who refuel regularly may notice the change depends heavily on location and station timing. While some TotalEnergies sites have already moved to the higher level, other stations—plus rival brands and independents—appear to lag behind, with pricing still hovering around R19 to R21 in multiple regions.
TotalEnergies diesel prices: R27.50 per litre and how the hike was phased in
According to the leaked internal memo, the diesel increase was not applied all at once. Instead, TotalEnergies reportedly implemented it in quick steps between 25 and 27 March. The memo outlines the following changes in wholesale pricing passed along to the pump:
- +R6 per litre effective 25 March
- +R1 per litre on 26 March
- +R1 per litre on 27 March
By stacking the adjustments across consecutive days, the company allegedly reached the higher reference price that consumers later began seeing at the till. This “rolling” approach could explain why drivers in different towns report different diesel prices—even within the same brand—during the same week.
TotalEnergies, in its accompanying explanation, attributes the increase to what it calls a “current global crisis.” While the company does not provide a single simple cause, the memo reportedly points to two main drivers behind the move:
- a R6 per litre rise in wholesale diesel prices
- extraordinary logistics costs
In practice, this means the company is arguing that costs at the supply chain level are being squeezed from multiple directions. If wholesale prices rise and delivery expenses climb, operators can find it difficult to absorb the difference without adjusting consumer pricing.
The timing is also key. The memo reportedly shows the diesel hike was already being rolled out ahead of the official April adjustment—raising questions among customers about how quickly fuel cost changes are translating into pump prices.
Where drivers are seeing R27.50—and where they aren’t
Not every TotalEnergies forecourt is at R27.50 yet, based on early reports from different locations. Some stations in areas such as Bloemfontein, Park Rynie, and Queenstown have already implemented the higher diesel pricing, according to the information circulating from the leaked document.
However, other stations are reportedly still charging less. In several places, including comparisons involving BP and independent retailers, diesel prices appear to remain around R19–R21, though the exact figure varies by town and trading site.
This uneven pattern is especially noticeable during rapid price shifts. Fuel pricing in South Africa can be influenced by timing differences between suppliers, local stock levels, and when each site updates its pump price system. As a result, drivers may see older rates at one filling station while a nearby outlet reflects the latest adjustment.
For commuters, truck routes, and businesses that rely on diesel for daily operations, even a small change per litre can quickly turn into meaningful added costs. And when the jump is steep—like the reported path to R27.50—the impact is felt across everything from deliveries to public transport scheduling.
Why the “global crisis” claim is resonating with customers
When fuel prices rise sharply, people often ask what changed overnight. TotalEnergies’ explanation—blaming broader global conditions—fits a familiar storyline in the fuel market: international pricing pressures plus increased operational costs can flow down to local consumers.
The memo’s reference to a wholesale diesel jump of R6/litre suggests the initial pressure came from the supply cost side. The additional mention of extraordinary logistics costs indicates that moving fuel to the market also became more expensive. Together, these factors create a situation where a company may feel compelled to reprice quickly rather than wait.
Still, the biggest frustration for drivers is less about the cause and more about speed and transparency. When customers hear about a major price increase after it has already begun at selected stations, it can feel like the market is moving ahead of public awareness.
At the moment, consumers appear to be treating fuel pricing like a moving target—checking nearby stations and comparing brands before committing to a fill-up.
What to watch next across South Africa
If the memo’s figures hold, the next phase will likely be whether remaining TotalEnergies stations update fully to the R27.50 level, and whether rivals respond with similar hikes in their pricing. The longer prices remain staggered across regions, the more drivers will continue to notice differences between nearby sites.
Meanwhile, traders and logistics players will be watching whether the R6/R1/R1 staged pattern becomes a template for future adjustments, or whether it was specific to this particular global pricing shock.
For now, the practical advice for motorists is simple: compare pump prices locally, because the same brand name can still mean different numbers depending on the forecourt and the timing of updates.
The leaked memo points to a diesel surge reaching R27.50 per litre in parts of South Africa, but the real story for drivers is that prices are rolling in unevenly—so what you pay may depend on exactly where you stop and when that station decided to update.