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South Africa: Industrial action in trucking sector affects fuel supplies
(Reuters) – Fuel suppliers in South Africa are starting to feel the pinch as industrial action by more than 20,000 truck drivers enters its second week, with deliveries to pumps delayed and stations running out of certain types of fuel, an industry body said on Tuesday.
The walkout by drivers asking for higher wages has affected 40 percent of fuel tanker trucks, it said, adding to pressure on Africa’s biggest economy from wildcat strikes by 75,000 miners in the platinum and gold sectors.
“We are operating under difficult challenges. We are seeing more and more delays of fuel trucks into service stations,” said Avhapfani Tshifularo, head of the South African Petroleum Industry Association.
“More service stations will start running short of certain grades of fuel if it continues into next week,” he added.
The fuel suppliers in South Africa include Shell, BP, Total, Chevron, local petrochemicals group Sasol and Engen, which is majority-owned by Malaysian state oil group Petronas.
Hundreds of striking truck drivers marched in the center of Johannesburg on Tuesday, chanting and waving cardboard placards, demanding a 12 percent rise in wages. Employers have so far offered an increase of 8.5 percent.
“We drive big trucks but we don’t even make 2,000 rand (US$240) a week. I only make that if I work overtime,” said David Mohlahlo, one of the protesters.
Talks between unions and the employers were expected to resume on Wednesday.
