JOHANNESBURG – The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announced a fuel hike, effective from Wednesday, 2 September.
While consumers are affected, petrol stations have their own fair share of challenges.
Hyde Park BP petrol station manager, Thapelo Malepo, says fuel hikes are bad for everyone, including petrol stations.
Malepo says that one of his biggest concerns is that some motorists do not have enough money to fill up their tanks and have resorted to unlawful behaviour at the pumps.
This was after divulging that the station has experienced three drive-offs after fuel hikes.
“The sad part is that it affects the staff; they don’t trust that customers will pay”, says Malepo.
Furthermore, the fuel hikes create traffic for a day or two before the hike, followed by a longer period of slow days.
This creates fluctuation in hours worked by petrol station employees.
However, he is relieved to share that there have been no job losses at his station.