The Energy Department said on Friday the price of petrol was going up by 27 cents a litre next week.

Diesel will go up by between 25 and 26 cents.

Illuminating paraffin will increase by 29 cents per litre.

The Energy Department’s Bheki Khumalo said the increases were unusual for this time of the year.

“Because of the fact that global economy is showing signs of recovery and the buoyancy that you see in the global recovery gets reflected by oil. That is why the price of crude has gone up substantially and the rand has not strengthened in the manner it did over the last couple of months,” said Khumalo.