Firewood Prices in Cape Town: What Does a Bakkie Load Cost?
A bakkie load of dry firewood is 20 bags and costs R1,550 to R2,200 in October 2026, depending on the wood. Here are current prices, delivery areas and answers to common questions.
Best Braai Wood in Cape Town: Sekelbos vs Swarthaak vs Black Wattle vs Gum
Which firewood is best for your braai or fireplace? We compare Sekelbos, Swarthaak, Black Wattle and Gum on heat, coals and price.
The short answer
For a braai, hardwood such as Sekelbos or Swarthaak gives the hottest, longest-lasting coals. For an indoor fireplace, Black Wattle is the best value. Gum lights fast and suits pizza ovens and quick fires, but makes few or no coals.
Which firewood should I buy?
Sekelbos: best for braais, with very long-lasting coals. R1,000 for 10 bags or R2,200 for 20.
Swarthaak: best for braais, with very long-lasting coals. R110 per 15kg bag or R2,050 for 20.
Black Wattle: best for indoor fireplaces and slow braais, with good coals. R85 per bag or R1,650 for 20.
Blue/Red Gum: best for pizza ovens and quick fires. Few coals (red gum) to none (blue gum). R75 per bag or R1,550 for 20.
Hardwood & Gum mix: gum to get it going, hardwood for the coals. R1,900 for 20 bags.
Prices as of October 2026.
Sekelbos and Swarthaak: the braai hardwoods
Sekelbos and Swarthaak are dense hardwoods from the drier northern regions. They burn hotter and longer than gum or wattle, so one fire can carry more than one round of meat. They are the wood to buy when the coals matter most. Our hardwood comes in 15kg bags.
Black Wattle: the best all-rounder for fireplaces
Black Wattle burns for a long time and still produces coals for a braai, which makes it the most cost-efficient firewood. We rate it 9/10 for indoor fires and 7/10 for braais. The pieces are fairly large, so use a few more firelighters than usual.
Gum: fast, hot and easy to light
We sell a mix of Blue Gum and Red Gum. Both burn equally well, but Red Gum makes a small amount of coal and Blue Gum makes none. Gum burns much faster than Black Wattle. We rate it 7/10 for indoor fires and 2/10 for braais. It is great for pizza ovens and fires you want going quickly.
Why dry wood matters
Wet wood smokes, hisses and struggles to stay lit. We make test fires throughout three months before packing, so every bag arrives ready to burn.
Better for the Cape, delivered to your door
All our Black Wattle and Gum comes from invasive alien trees, which use a lot of water and raise wildfire risk. R5 from every bag goes to planting indigenous trees with Greenpop.
Order online at allgoodfirewood.co.za/products or WhatsApp 065 811 1759. We deliver across Cape Town within 3 days, with free delivery to the Peninsula, Southern Suburbs, CBD and Atlantic Seaboard on orders over R1,200.