Only R621.50 of every R1,000 you spend filling your tank in South Africa is for petrol

South Africans are being asked to foot the bill for the country's road maintenance and construction costs, with only 37.8 cents of every R1,000 spent on petrol going towards these purposes. Introduced in 1988, the general fuel levy was initially intended to fund road construction and maintenance, but its purpose has shifted over the years. Now, with plans to increase the levy to R2.25 per litre from April 2026, motorists can expect to see even greater costs at the pump.