Fuel prices: OUTA says government could have avoided panic buying

Alpha Ramushwana

Alpha Ramushwana

1 April 2026 | 14:00

Several petrol stations across the country have reported running out of both petrol and diesel, as many chose to buy in bulk. 

Fuel prices: OUTA says government could have avoided panic buying

A general view of a fuel pump at a petrol station in Rosebank, Johannesburg on April 1, 2026, a day after South Africa lowered its fuel tax for a month to offset a global oil price surge driven by the Iran war, even as pump prices rose in one of the steepest increases on record. Picture: Phill Magakoe/AFP

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) says government could have avoided the panic buying of fuel had it acted proactively ahead of the long-anticipated fuel price hike. 

Several petrol stations across the country have reported running out of both petrol and diesel, as many chose to buy in bulk. 

The fuel price increase, which came into effect on Wednesday, has been worsened by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. 

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OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage says government should be held responsible for the fuel shortages being experienced at some petrol stations. 

"Government needs to plan a little bit better or in advance. We also want to know about the strategic oil reserves we have. What is the policy on these reserves? When and how are they used?" 

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