Johannesburg - Motorists are already feeling the effects of the fuel industry strike as some filling stations run dry.
On Monday morning the Engen garage in Auckland Park stood empty as a cold winter breeze blew, a sign in the front informing hopeful customers that there was no petrol, only diesel.
“We haven’t had petrol since 10pm on Friday and we don’t know when we’re going to get again,” said a petrol attendant who asked to remain anonymous.
“It’s really bad for business and if it carries on, people won’t be able to get to work and can’t make money to live. It doesn’t just affect drivers. It affects all the people taking minibus taxis too. How will we get to work if we live far away and there’s no petrol for the taxi?” he asked.
Several motorists drove in looking hopeful, saw the sign and drove out again.
The Star visited several petrol stations in and around the Joburg CBD this morning. Most had no petrol, and a taxi driver who identified himself as Mr Zulu said he was worried about the strike.
“ It’s definitely going to start affecting business. It hasn’t been so easy to find petrol. I can’t operate my taxi or make money for my family if there’s no petrol. What will we do as operators? I don’t know,” Zulu said.
Some motorists were panic-stricken. One man said he had driven from Pretoria East to the Joburg CBD without finding petrol.
He finally made it to the Sasol on Smit Street which was on the verge of running dry.
“Luckily, they still have a bit of petrol but I don’t know what’s going to happen if this carries on,” he said.
Major transport problems
Another motorist who identified herself only as Jayshree said she was unable to find petrol anywhere in Killarney.
“This petrol station (Sasol on Smit Street) is on my way to work and I was hoping they would have, which they do,” she said. “I just hope the strike ends soon because we don’t know what’s going to happen if it doesn’t.”
Stan, one of the petrol attendants at Sasol on Smit Street, said they were going to run out soon.
“The Sasol down the road has already had no petrol since last night,” he said. “We’re probably going to run out as the morning goes on but hopefully we’ll get a delivery tomorrow,” he said.
Thando Baloyi, another taxi driver, said he hadn’t had any serious problems finding petrol but added that if it carried on, taxis would run into major transport problems.
Several Caltex stations along the way said they still had petrol and hadn't run into any problems yet.
‘They have to come to their senses’
About 15 000 workers affiliated to the Chemical, Energy, Paper Printing and Wood Allied workers downed tools on Thursday last week, in search of a nine percent wage increase and a one-year agreement.
Ceppwawu chief negotiator in the petroleum sector Jerry Nkosi said on Monday morning they would keep striking until employers “put something on the negotiating table”.
“The strike is still on. We haven’t had any negotiations since the commencement of the strike. Employers are meeting today so after today, we’ll know when the negotiations will resume.
“Until then, we are staying away. There won’t be any trucks transporting petrol, workers in refineries will also stay away until employers tell us when they are coming back to the table. The refineries, those who transport the petrol and employers, have to come to their senses,” Nkosi said.
On its Twitter feed, the South African Petroleum Industry Association has urged motorists to stick to their “normal refuelling patterns to assist the petroleum industry in ensuring security of supply”.
“Refining, transportation and storage activities are continuing and contingency plans are activated to mitigate any impact of Ceppwawu’s strike,” it said.
The Fuel Retailers Association could not be reached for comment this morning.
The Star