Fuel levy cuts announced as Godongwana allocates billions to fight GBV

South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced temporary fuel levy cuts in his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday. From November 4 to December 1, 2026, the diesel levy will fall by R3 per litre and the petrol levy by R1.50; reduced cuts of R1.50 for diesel and R1 for petrol will then continue until January 5, 2027. The relief amounts to R10 billion in support, matched by R10 billion in foregone revenue. Treasury also allocated R3.8 billion to combat gender-based violence and femicide, while COSATU criticised the lack of additional funding for public employment programmes and inflation relief for social grant recipients.