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Petrol strike: Refineries operational but pumps running dry

Cape Town - While production at South Africa's oil refineries have continued despite an indefinite strike by workers demanding higher wages, motorists are battling to find petrol at some filling stations around the country. However, fuel retailers have urged motorists not to panic.

LATEST FROM FIN24: New vehicle sales have slumped dramatically in July, reflecting the current difficult economic conditions in South Africa.

Around 15 000 members affiliated to Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers union (Ceppwawu) launched the strike on Thursday, demanding a 9% wage hike and one-year deal, while employers were offering less.

"Refineries continue to produce," South African Petroleum Industry Association executive director Avhapfani Tshifularo said.

READ: Petrol pumps could run dry in 3 days, warns union

Some parts of Gauteng province, the country's commercial hub, which includes Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, had faced some delays, he said. Drivers ferrying petrol from depots to service stations were being threatened, he said, but did not give details.

Intimidation by striking union members at a major petrol hub in Pretoria has brought the depot to a standstill, which has resulted in petrol stations running dry in northern Gauteng on Monday, Tshifularo told Fin24 in a telephonic interview on Monday.

FULL STORY: Gauteng garages run dry as intimidation shuts down Pretoria depot

Union officials were not available to comment.

Reggie Sibiya, chief executive officer at the Fuel Retailers Association, said mainly poorer areas were being affected by petrol delivery delays and disputed the claims of violence against the drivers. "Oil companies don't want to go deliver there and are using safety as an excuse. It's not because there is no product," he said.

South Africa, which holds elections on Wednesday, is a net importer of refined petroleum products. The government said previously that fuel shortages could cost the economy around R1bn a day.

A similar wage strike in 2011 that lasted almost three weeks saw petrol pumps run dry as panic-stricken motorists filled up their vehicles.

Sibiya urged motorists not to panic. "There is no need for panic buying. There is no crisis," Sibiya said.

Chevron said on Monday operations at its 110 000-barrels-a-day Cape Town plant were continuing and measures were in place to minimise the strike's impact.

At some service stations certain types of fuel were not available due to delivery problems, a Reuters witness said.

In a Fin24 snap poll on Twitter, 25% of 575 voters said they had been affected by the petrol strike by 13:45 on Monday.

VOTE NOW:

Engen, Caltex and BP had been affected, Fin24 readers said on twitter on Monday.

Samantha van Tonder told Fin24 that all stations in Pretoria East have run dry, while 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.”

Lize Psmiff said a Caltex station on Malibongwe in Linden is dry, while Petro Kotzé said several stations near Erasmusrand are dry.  Shuaib Parker said the Engen in Lenasia did not have 95 unleaded and “expected delivery could not be ascertained”.

Fin24 users said they have battled to get petrol in parts of Pretoria and northern Gauteng, as well as in Cape Town and the KZN south coast.

Fin24 user Mzamo Jakavula said petrol stations in Pretoria East, specifically Silver Lakes, Farie Glen and Menlyn, were dry by yesterday for unleaded petrol. Some still had diesel available.

“My friend who stays in Pretoria North (around Karien Park) also had to drive around for an hour in his neighbourhood before he managed to get fuel,” he said.

“The residents of Midrand were also complaining on the Facebook group 'People living in Midrand' about tanks running dry.”

Fin24 user Patrick Mmbadulula sent in photos from Mamelodi East at a BP garage, where the pumps are also dry.

Read Fin24's latest top stories shared on twitter

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