US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA3190

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SOUTH AFRICA: FUEL PRICES CONTINUE TO NEW RECORD HIGHS

Identifier: 05PRETORIA3190
Wikileaks: View 05PRETORIA3190 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Pretoria
Created: 2005-08-10 09:26:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: EPET ENRG ECON EIND SF
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS PRETORIA 003190 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS USGS 
USDOC FOR 4510/ITA/MAC/AME/OA/DIEMOND 
DOE FOR THOMAS SPERL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EPET, ENRG, ECON, EIND, SF 
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA: FUEL PRICES CONTINUE TO NEW RECORD 
HIGHS 
 
REF: PRETORIA 2665 
 
Summary 
------- 
1. (U) On August 3, 2005, the Department of Minerals and 
Energy increased the prices of gasoline, diesel, and 
kerosene to new all-time highs.  All of the increase was 
due to the higher international crude oil price.  End 
Summary. 
 
Government Announces Further Price Increases 
-------------------------------------------- 
2. (U) On August 3, the Department of Minerals and Energy 
(DME)  again  increased the retail price of  gasoline  in 
rand terms by 5.0% and the wholesale prices of diesel and 
kerosene  by  an average of 3.1% and 3.7%,  respectively. 
This is on top of the respective July 6 increases of 5.7% 
(retail),  and  10.5% and 8.9% (wholesale).   A  slightly 
strengthening  rand was overshadowed by the  increase  in 
the  international price of crude oil, which was  totally 
responsible for this month's price increases.  The tables 
below show the increases in the average price of fuel  in 
Johannesburg and components for the new price. 
 
           Wholesale Johannesburg Prices 
                (U.S. Dollars/Gallon) 
 
                        June   July   Aug   %Change 
Gasoline - (retail)     3.05   2.99   3.16   +5.7 
Diesel  - 0.3% Sulfur   2.82   2.89   3.00   +3.8 
Diesel  - 0.05% Sulfur  2.95   3.02   3.13   +3.6 
Kerosene                2.23   2.26   2.36   +4.4 
 
           Wholesale Johannesburg Prices 
                 (S.A. Rands/Liter) 
 
Gasoline - (retail)     5.06   5.35   5.62   +5.0 
Diesel  - 0.3% Sulfur   4.68   5.17   5.33   +3.1 
Diesel  - 0.05% Sulfur  4.89   5.40   5.57   +3.1 
Kerosene                3.71   4.04   4.19   +3.7 
 
           Cost Components of the New Price 
 
Basic Fuel Cost                           53.4% 
Taxes and Levies                          28.7% 
Operating Costs and Dealer Margins        17.9% 
 
FRAZER 

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