Credit cards allowed for fuel

Johannesburg - Motorists could soon use their credit cards to pay for petrol and diesel at fuel stations, the Department of Minerals and Energy said on Tuesday.

However, the draft bill published in the government gazette and the department's website will only come to pass if the public gives the department a nod.

"The department has published regulations on the government gazette and we are asking the public to respond to that issue. This is a means of being technologically advanced and a way of coming on par with the international public," spokesperson Bheki Khumalo said.

He said credit card payments would also contribute towards the fight against crime as fuel stations have always been easy targets for criminals.

Also, motorists without petrol cards would be at ease when filling up their cars late at night as they would no longer carry huge amounts of money around, Khumalo said.

"We all know that most fuel stations have fallen victim to robberies because people know there's cash there. We have been talking to the SA banking council and the fuel retailers association... they are very excited about this," he said.

Using credit cards will also come in handy for the 2010 World Cup events as thousands of tourists and sport fanatics expected to visit the country next year will travel freely without fear of being crime victims.

"We are expecting an influx of foreigners for the Confederations Cup and the World Cup and we think it'll make it easier for them not to carry around cash... that's a phenomenon in European countries," Khumalo said.

A public meeting is expected to be held on May 20 to allow the department to "consolidate the input from the public", Khumalo said.

The draft published in the department's website reads: "A retailer must accept payment in the form of cash, debit, credit and hybrid cards for the payment of petrol and diesel supplied into the tanks of vehicles".

- Sapa