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Cape Town - Engen has put measures in place to ease the impact of a fuel strike in the sector after motorists wanting to fill up their tanks were turned away from service stations.
"Engen have activated contingency plans to mitigate the impact of the strike in the sector," Engen corporate communications specialist, Cindy-Lee Maneveld, said in a statement on Monday.
"With over a 1000 sites countrywide, supply to our customers remains a critical part of our value delivery. Engen’s retail fuel and convenience service to the public continues to be our priority throughout our service station network."
READ: Gauteng garages run dry as intimidation shuts down Pretoria depot
The Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (Ceppwawu) embarked on strike action on Thursday last week.
With about 15 000 members, Ceppwawu is the largest union in the petroleum sector.
The labour union is demanding a 9% pay rise and one-year deal, however employers are refusing to budge. The National Petroleum Employers’ Association (NPEA) proposed a 7% increase this year and a consumer price index plus 1% increase next year.
The South African Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) said parts of Gauteng were experiencing delays in fuel deliveries.
SAPIA Executive director Avhapfani Tshifularo told Fin24 intimidation by striking union members at a major petrol hub in Pretoria brought the depot to a standstill.
Engen’s petrol stations seemed to be the most affected, according to Fin24 readers.
READ: Here's how SA motorists can save fuel and avoid being stranded
Fin24 user James Gillespie said two Engen garages in Pretoria had been impacted on Friday already.
"The Engen garages in Atterbury road (opposite each other), just past Menlyn Shopping centre were both already advising motorists that they have no fuel. The Caltex petrol station across the Garsfontein police station also said that they do not have any fuel."
Gillespie pointed out that as of Monday morning all petrol stations in the east of Pretoria had notices up that they do not have any fuel supply.
Lindokuhle Mathe said pumps at Engen in Glenhazel in Johannesburg were dry. Priscilla Hurley said Engen’s pumps in Oxford Road in Ferndale, Randburg were dry on Sunday night.
Fin24 user Ashleigh said petrol stations had run dry on the south coast in KwaZulu-Natal.
“I tried to fill up with petrol on Sunday at the Engen Garage at the South Coast Mall, Shelly Beach,” she said. “I was turned away by employees saying they had run out. The petrol station down the road (BP) had petrol and said they had received a delivery on Saturday, so not sure why Engen had run out in a day.”
In a Fin24 snap poll on Twitter, 30% of 810 voters said they were affected by the petrol strike by Monday evening.
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