May 04, 2026.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is Polity’s Daily Podcast.

Making headlines:

Hefty petrol, diesel price increases announced for May, despite fuel levy cuts

BLSA CEO calls for scrapping of BBBEE amendments to support manufacturers

And, at least 130 Nigerians seek repatriation from South Africa after protests, Abuja says

Despite the National Treasury and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources' decision to extend the cut in the fuel levies for petrol and diesel for May, hefty increases of R3.27 a litre for petrol and R6.19 a litre for diesel will be implemented from May 6 as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to impact on global oil prices and domestic fuel prices.

The DMPR points out that the increases are the result of local and international factors, such as an increase in the average Brent crude oil price.

Owing to the ongoing US-Iran conflict, Treasury and the DMPR last week announced a further temporary reduction in the general fuel levy of R3 a litre to be implemented in the price structures of petrol and R3.93 a litre for diesel from May 6 to June 2.

For the month of June, the level of relief is expected to be halved to R1.50 a litre for petrol and R1.96 a litre for diesel, effective from June 3 to June 30.

Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso has warned of possible consequences for manufacturers, from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s proposed amendments to the country’s broad-based black economic empowerment regulations.

Writing in her latest weekly newsletter, Mavuso points out that original-equipment manufacturers have spent years building local supply chains, deliberately including majority black-owned businesses as part of their transformation commitments.

However, she posits that the proposed amendments would strip them of their BBBEE status, as many suppliers are not 100% black-owned. 

She emphasises that this BBBEE status is critical for OEMs to access the tax incentives and support schemes that government has established for the industry, and there is no indication of how this would be managed.

At least 130 Nigerian citizens in South Africa have asked their government to fly them home after a protests there targeting foreigners, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said.

There were the first to apply to a new scheme to repatriate citizens launched by Nigeria's government, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said, amid fears that confrontations in South Africa could escalate.

Protesters held rallies in Pretoria and Johannesburg last week, demanding tougher action against illegal immigration, saying undocumented foreign nationals were putting pressure on jobs, security and public services.

Campaigners for migrant rights say foreigners have long been scapegoated in South Africa for its economic woes.

South Africa last month promised to crack down on anyone carrying out xenophobic attacks after Ghana and other African countries reported that their nationals had faced violence and discrimination.

More protests were planned on May 4 and May 8 and Nigeria would be watching developments closely, the government said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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