Energy Minister Dipuo Peters says neither government, nor her department, have control over the fuel market prices.
She was speaking in Pretoria today, ahead of tonight's steep price petrol price increases of 66 cents a litre at the coast and 71 cents inland.
Diesel also goes up by between 47 and 49 cents a litre.
Peters says that the prices are dictated by issues such as global political developments among oil producing countries.
"As a non oil producing country South Africa is a price taker and depends on imports the market prices are set in accordance with developments beyond the control of the government of South Africa" Peters said.
