Petrol strike builds comradeship among workers

They mobilized each other from one petrol station to the next leaving no available assistance at any garage in their wake.

The crowd which was getting ready to move from a filling station in Oakdene say that their fight for economic freedom through an agreement with their employers for their demand of minimum wages, is what gives them energy to move from the Booysens area, to Oakdene with their next stop, being Rosettenville.

Police officers as well as Stallion Security officers monitored the peaceful strikers as they marched in the blazing sun, singing struggle songs about working and wanting what was due to them.

The growing crowd wasnt only formed by dissatisfied petrol station workers but also by employees of car-wash businesses. Reportedly, car-wash employees were taken with them on the march as there was supposed to be little to no business operations at any filling station until their wage demands were met.

We were at our place of employment when these guys came and said we must go with them. They took us in front of our employers and they didnt say anything. We dont want to be here because we have nothing to gain from this strike, said an exhausted looking lady who works in Turffontein.

National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) have been gathering in various areas around Johannesburg after failed negotiations, demanding a double digit increase of around R30 per hour, and rejecting the offered percentage of between 9.6 and 9.7 by fuel retailers.
Sisi how far have the striking people gone? asked a man in casual wear at the Engen garage in Oakdene, who later revealed that he had been hiding nearby fearing that he would be labelled a rat by other protestors for not joining in the march.

Motorists have however been told not to panic, by Gerrie Lewis, Chairperson of SA Petroleum Retailers Association (SAPRA). Consumers must please not rush to petrol stations to fill up containers. Stating possible issues that many of the containers brought by motorists are not SABS approved for petrol and could therefore not be used to fill petrol in.

A number of vehicles were seen driving away from filling stations in Johannesburg south, having received no assistance or fuel.