Gauteng pumps run dry as talks deadlock

Johannesburg - The fuel strike continues to have a significant effect in Gauteng, said the South African Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) on Monday, as talks continued between unions and the National Petroleum Employers' Association to find a solution to a wage dispute.

Peter Rapoo, the deputy president of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (Ceppwawu), said that talks still remained deadlocked on all fronts. "The talks, however, are still continuing," he said. 

An "improved" wage offer was tabled during negotiations between unions and employers in the chemical and petroleum sector late Monday afternoon, trade union Solidarity said.

"Employers in the sector this afternoon made an offer of between 8% and 10%, depending on the employment level," Solidarity deputy general secretary Dirk Hermann said.

Talks in this sector had not been concluded and would likely resume on Tuesday.

"The new offer is definitely a step in the right direction, and we trust that we will soon, once the marathon session is concluded, be able to present the improved wage offer to our members for a new mandate."

National Petroleum Employers' Association spokesperson Nothemba Noruwana said: "I have not heard anything yet and until I do, I cannot make any comments."

The General Industries Workers Union of SA (Giwusa), Solidarity and the South African Chemical Workers Union (Sacwu) are also negotiating a wage settlement with other employer bodies in the pharmaceutical and fast-moving consumer goods industries.

Sapia, whose members include BP Southern Africa, Chevron SA, Engen Petroleum, PetroSA, Sasol [JSE:SOL], Shell SA and Total SA, said it continued to employ contingency plans to mitigate the impact of the strike.

But these plans were compromised by the increase in violent incidents aimed at intimidating non-striking staff and putting a strain on fuel supply to retailers, the association added.

Depots affected included Alrode, Alberton, Waltloo, Langlaagte, Germiston and Mamelodi.

At least 157 of Shell's 230 retail sites in Gauteng have run out of stock of one or more grades of fuel, Shell SA said on Monday.