Nationwide petrol shortages are due to a breakdown at a Durban refinery and other supply problems and are unrelated to today's price increase.

Fuel Retailers' Association CEO Reggie Sibiya denied yesterday that the shortage was caused by garage owners wanting to capitalise on the price increase, which came into effect at midnight.

Petrol stations around the country experienced shortages yesterday as motorists rushed to fill their tanks before the 34c/litre increase came into effect.

Some filling stations had run out of 93 octane and unleaded fuel by lunchtime yesterday.

Most Shell stations and many Sasol, BP and Engen garages reported shortages.

Some motorists complained that petrol was being withheld to capitalise on the price increase.

But Sibiya denied this.

He said the shortage was caused by the unscheduled shutdown of the Sapref refinery in Durban since early January and recent supply problems at a refinery in Cape Town.

Sibiya said the country had been experiencing fuel shortages since October, with some companies resorting to importing crude oil.

"No retailer will withhold fuel.

"We have been dealing with shortages since last year and just when things start to normalise there is the new shortage," he said.

Since midnight, motorists in Gauteng have had to pay R10.95/litre for 95 octane unleaded petrol, up from R10.61/litre.

At the coast, it now costs R10.65/litre, compared with R10.31/litre previously.

Bonang Mogale, chairman and vice-president of Shell SA, said yesterday that he was trying to find out to what the shortage could be attributed so that remedial action could be taken.

Shell spokesman Elton Fortuin said his company was doing all it could to supply petroleum products, including procuring product from alternative sources.

"Given this situation, we continue to operate under a heavily rationed position for our customers across the country, and our retail sites are at risk of intermittent 'stock-outs' on certain fuel grades during this period," said Fortuin.

Sapref refinery is expected to be back in full production towards the middle of February.