Exhibit 8.1

LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES

Name

Nature of business

Country of
incorporation

Interest %Sasol Mining (Pty) Ltd

Coal mining activities

South Africa

89,8
(1)Sasol Mining Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Holding company for the group's mining interests

South Africa

100Sasol Synfuels (Pty) Ltd

Production of liquid fuels, gases and chemical products and refining of tar acids

South Africa

100Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd

Engineering services, research and development and technology transfer

South Africa

100Sasol Financing (Pty) Ltd

Management of cash resources, investment and procurement of loans (for South African operations)

South Africa

100Sasol Investment Company (Pty) Ltd

Holding company of the group's foreign investments (and investment in movable and immovable property)

South Africa

100Sasol Chemical Industries Limited

Production and marketing of mining explosives, gases, petrochemicals, fertilisers and waxes

South Africa

100Sasol Gas Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Holding company for the group's gas interests

South Africa

100Sasol Oil (Pty) Ltd

Marketing of fuels and lubricants

South Africa

75Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Investments Company (Pty) Ltd

Owning and operating the natural gas transmission pipeline between Temane in Mozambique and Secunda in South Africa for the transportation of natural gas produced in Mozambique to markets in Mozambique and South
Africa

South Africa

50
(2)Sasol Chemical Holdings International (Pty) Ltd

Investment in the Sasol Chemie group

South Africa

100Sasol Chemicals Europe Limited

Marketing and distribution of chemical products

United Kingdom

100Sasol Chemicals Pacific Limited

Marketing and distribution of chemical products

Hong Kong

100Sasol Financing International Plc

Management of cash resources, investment and procurement of loans (for operations outside South Africa)

Isle of Man

100Sasol Gas Limited

Marketing, distribution and transportation of pipeline gas and the maintenance of pipelines used to transport gas

South Africa

100


---



Name

Nature of business

Country of
incorporation

Interest %Sasol Group Services (Pty) Ltd

Supplier of functional core and shared services to the Sasol Group of companies

South Africa

100Sasol Oil International Limited

Buying and selling of crude oil

Isle of Man

75
(3)Sasol Petroleum International (Pty) Ltd

Exploration, production, marketing and distribution of natural oil and gas and its by-products

South Africa

100Sasol Canada Holdings Limited

Exploration, production, marketing and distribution of shale gas and its by-products

Canada

100Sasol Polymers International Investments (Pty) Ltd

Holding company for Sasol Polymers' foreign investments

South Africa

100Sasol Synfuels International (Pty) Ltd

Develop and implement international GTL and CTL ventures

South Africa

100Sasol Wax International Aktiengesellschaft

Holding company for Sasol Wax (outside South Africa) operations

Germany

100Sasol Wax GmbH

Production, marketing and distribution of waxes and wax related products

Germany

100Tosas Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Investment holding company

South Africa

75
(3)National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Refining crude oil

South Africa

47,73
(3)Sasol Chemie GmbH and Co. KG

Investment in the Sasol Germany GmbH, Sasol Solvents Germany GmbH and Sasol Olefins and Surfactants GmbH

Germany

100Sasol Germany GmbH

Production, marketing and distribution of (chemical products) olefin and surfactant products

Germany

100Sasol Solvents Germany GmbH

Production and marketing of solvents

Germany

100Sasol Italy SpA

Trading and transportation of oil products, petrochemicals and chemical products and derivatives

Italy

99,9Sasol Holdings USA (Pty) Ltd

To manage and hold the group's interests in the United States

South Africa

100Sasol North America Inc.

Manufacturing of commodity and specialty chemicals

United States

100


---

---



INCORPORATED JOINTLY CONTROLLED ENTITIES

Name

Nature of business

Country of
incorporation

Interest %Arya Sasol Polymer Company

Production of polyethylene

Iran

50Chevron Sasol EGTL Limited

Investment activities in relation to the Escravos gas-to-liquids project

Bermuda

50Ixia Coal (Pty) Ltd

Investment activities Sasol Mining

South Africa

49
(4)Merisol LP

Production, marketing and distribution of phenolics

United States

50Oryx GTL Limited (QSC)

Manufacturing and marketing of synthetic fuels from gas

Qatar

49Petlin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd

Manufacturing and marketing of low-density polyethylene pellets

Malaysia

40Sasol Chevron Holdings Limited

Holding company with Chevron corporation

Bermuda

50Sasol Dyno Nobel (Pty) Ltd

Manufacturing and marketing of commercial explosives

South Africa

50Sasol-Huntsman GmbH & Co KG

Production and marketing of maleic anhydride

Germany

50Spring Lights Gas (Pty) Ltd

Marketing of pipeline gas in the Durban South area

South Africa

49


---

---



QuickLinks