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R/£ Petrol panic sweeps city
August 04, 2007 Edition 1
By MELANIE PETERS, MZWANELE MKALIPI AND SAPA
Panic petrol buying is sweeping Cape Town as the fuel industry strike bites and pumps run dry across the Peninsula.
And there is no chance of more fuel until early next week.
While the Western Cape was only beginning to feel the pinch yesterday, the impact the shortage of fuel supplies had been felt in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape earlier in the week.
Hastily scribbled "Sorry, no petrol" signs went up at Cape Town garages yesterday.
Late yesterday, some Cape Town petrol stations were turning frustrated motorists away as their pumps ran dry, while others which still had petrol had long, snaking queues of vehicles lining up outside.
Today union and petroleum industry representatives meet to try to find a resolution to the crippling five-day petroleum industry strike that has left parts of the country without petrol, but even if the organisations find a solution it will take at least two days to catch up.
"We are hopeful this meeting will bring about an amicable solution to the current strike," said Keith Jacobs, Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers' Union spokesman.
A talk-radio station reported 30 Engen garages had no petrol, but the company said it did not have an exact number.
In Fish Hoek, frustrated motorists asked what they should do when the town's three petrol stations in Main Road ran dry.
Peter Morgan of the Fuel Retailers Association said the issue was not a shortage of fuel but getting drivers to do the deliveries.
He questioned why oil companies had not made alternative fuel delivery plans ahead of a planned nationwide chemical workers strike.
"Why didn't they arrange by Monday (the start of the strike) to have alternative drivers ready?"
He believed consumers and the estimated 4 600 fuel retailers who sell an average of more than 200 000 litres of petrol and diesel each month were bearing the brunt of the pay dispute.
The situation was dire, he said, and would get worse if no agreement was reached to put an end to the strike action. "Many sites have dried up. It is difficult to say exactly how many but I would say about 100 (in the three worst-affected provinces). The areas most affected appear to be Gauteng and Eastern Cape, but the Western Cape is catching up. These are the regions where I'm getting the most phone calls from."
There have been reports of intimidation at some depots that has led to problems.
"I am hoping a number of deliveries will be made over the weekend and so we can try to catch up on the backlog. I also hope the oil companies and unions will meet on Monday to settle their disagreement. If this does not happen the problem will get worse," Morgan said.
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