South Africa is proposing its largest expansion of strategic fuel reserves since the apartheid era to reduce vulnerability to global energy disruptions. Under the proposal, state and private fuel companies will be required to jointly stockpile up to 81 days’ worth of national consumption. Once self-sufficient in refining, the country closed two major refineries in 2022, leaving it dependent on imported petrol, diesel, and jet fuel. The plan comes as renewed conflict between the US and Iran disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for African fuel imports. The proposal, currently open for public consultation, would revive storage infrastructure originally developed during the 1970s and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen long-term energy security amid increasing global supply uncertainties.
Semafor