FULL SCHEDULES, EMPTY TANKS
Busy schedules, precious passengers: Reinette Hurter knows the demands of keeping children on the move. From left: Lily Pretorius, Gabby Van Zyl, Hayley Hurter, Reinette Hurter and Mila Hurter.
From pay day to petrol pump… Every kilometre counts
Platinum Weekly newspaper | Rustenburg – School bags and sport kits, afternoon activities and another trip across town. For busy parents like Reinette Hurter, keeping everyone moving takes time, planning and an increasingly painful fuel budget.
The children have places to be. But Mom has one too: the petrol station.
But behind the familiar school-run scramble lies a serious concern. When getting to work and back eats into money needed for groceries, electricity and school fees, earning a living can start feeling like an expensive journey in itself.
What are we paying?
Fuel prices increased on Wednesday, 7 October 2026.
Published inland benchmark prices are R29.88 per litre for 93 unleaded petrol and R30.25 for 95 unleaded. Diesel wholesale benchmarks are approximately R31.95 for 500ppm and R32.80 for 50ppm. Local pricing zones can differ, and diesel pump prices vary between retailers. At that 95 petrol benchmark, buying 50 litres costs R1,512.50… that is R166.50 more than before October’s R3.33-per-litre increase. That is a substantial extra expense before the first school drop-off.
Will relief arrive before the year ends?
Cheaper fuel before the end of 2026 is not guaranteed.
Government’s 5 October announcement cited higher international prices and shipping costs. A stronger rand could help, but election results alone cannot promise relief at the pumps.
Small plans can save precious kilometres
Nobody can remove every journey from a busy family’s diary, but a few changes can help:
• Share the netball run.
Chat to other parents whose children attend the same practice. Taking turns once or twice a week can cut duplicate trips and give everyone a little breathing space. Agree on collection times and make sure every child has an appropriate seat and restraint.
• Ease off the accelerator.
Leave a little earlier, keep to a sensible speed and accelerate gently. Racing between robots and braking hard wastes fuel.
• Make one trip do more.
Collect the children, buy groceries and stop at the pharmacy on one planned route instead of making separate outings.
• Check tyre pressure.
Use the manufacturer’s recommended pressures and keep maintenance up to date.
• Lighten the load. Remove unnecessary heavy items and unused roof carriers.
• Avoid unnecessary idling.
When safely parked for a longer wait, switch off the engine where practical.
A shared lift will not solve the cost-of-living crisis. But it can mean fewer kilometres, another parent getting a break and a little more money staying in the household. With today’s fuel prices, “I’ll fetch them on Tuesday” might be a very welcome offer.