There is no end in sight for the fuel strike that saw 15 000 members of the Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers Union (Ceppwawu) downing tools.
The strike comes after their employers have refused to meet their demand for a nine per cent wage increase. Earlier this week the negotiations reached a deadlock and no new date has been set to continue the process. But the SA Petroleum Industry Association said the public should not panic, even though some fuel stations are running dry. The Association ensured motorists in Gauteng that the province is a priority.
Although refineries are fully operational, the fuel can not reach the various fuel companies’ depots and subsequently the pumps, because strikers are intimidating tanker drivers with violence.
The Record asked fuel stations owners in the Roodepoort area how the strike affected them. An Engen service station owner said that for every day they have no fuel the station loses as much as R150 000. That is not counting sales lost by their convenience store and the fast-food outlet on the premises. “If there is no fuel people do not stop and therefore even our shop loses out on sales big time. Staff also have to be paid regardless of whether there is anything for them to do,” said the manager.
The owner of a smaller Total service station said they lose as much as R60 000 a day.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
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