Petrol attendants at one Durban service station on Wednesday said they wanted to vote, but found work was more important.
"I want to vote but getting paid is more important to me," said one attendant at a BP service station in Chatsworth, who asked to remain anonymous.
While filling cars with fuel, he said that by the time he finished work he would be too tired to walk to a voting station, stand in a queue and then vote. He was aware that voting stations closed at 9pm.
"Standing eight hours on your feet filling fuel is not an easy job and then to go and stand in line to vote is just not what I had in mind."
The attendants were allegedly told by their employer that they had to work as it would be a busy day, because many people were off work and would visit the service station to fill up or wash their car.
"And anyway, if I went against my boss's will, he may not pay me for today," the man added. - Sapa