South Africa's government said on Tuesday it was proposing to extend a cut in the general fuel levy until early August to ease pressure on consumers from high domestic fuel prices linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The National Treasury said the estimated cost of the two-month proposal in foregone revenue was 4.5 billion rand ($288.3 million), adding that it was committed to the fiscal framework outlined in the 2022 budget.

In March the government announced a temporary reduction in the fuel levy of 1.5 rand per litre for two months, but that was due to expire at the end of May.

The new proposal is for the 1.5 rand a litre reduction to continue from June 1 to July 6, before being lowered to a 75 cents a litre reduction from July 7 to Aug. 2. From Aug. 3 the relief would be withdrawn.

"The Minister of Finance has today submitted a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly, requesting the tabling of a two-month proposal for the extension of the reduction in the general fuel levy," the Treasury said in a joint statement with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian and Bhargav Acharya, Editing by Alexander Winning)