South African refinery capacity and fuel security

South Africa is facing significant challenges regarding its domestic refining capacity and fuel security. An unplanned shutdown at the Natref refinery in Sasolburg, caused by a steam boiler failure, has threatened jet fuel supplies. While Airports Company South Africa reported that fuel stocks remained stable in the immediate aftermath—with O. R. Tambo International Airport holding five to six days of cover—airlines have begun implementing contingency measures such as fuel tankering.

This disruption occurs against a broader backdrop of declining domestic refining capabilities. Since 2019, refinery closures have reduced petroleum-related manufacturing output by approximately 20% and displaced an estimated 5,400 jobs. The South African Reserve Bank noted that the country could have reduced its oil-import bill by R76 billion if more domestic capacity had remained operational.

With refining capacity having halved over the last decade, the country now relies on imports for more than half of its fuel demand, increasing vulnerability to price volatility and shipping disruptions. Currently, only the Natref plant and the Astron Energy Cape Town refinery are active. The Central Energy Fund has expressed intentions to rebuild the Sapref refinery near Durban to help restore capacity.