The retail price of petrol will decrease by between 25 and 29 cents a litre on Wednesday, 1 October, the department of Minerals and Energy announced in a delayed release on Friday.

This follows a decrease of between 69 and 78 cents a litre at the beginning of this month.

91 octane petrol will decrease by 29 cents, 93 octane by 27 cents and 95 octane by 25 cents.

Diesel prices will also decrease, with 0.05 percent sulphur decreasing by 56 cents and 0.005 percent by 55 cents.

Wholesale paraffin decreases by 65 cents and illuminating paraffin by 87 cents.

The Minister of Mineral and Energy has approved an increase of 2.6 cents per litre on the retail margin of petrol with effect from October 1.

Petrol in Gauteng now costs 941 cents a litre from 966 cents before and it is now 917 cents at the coast from 942 cents before.

During the period under review, the average international product prices of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin decreased. The average rand/US dollar exchange rate weakened when compared to the previous period. The average rand/dollar exchange rate for the period 29 August, 2008 to 25 September, 2008 was 8.0182 compared to 7.6845 during the previous period.

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