WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-06-28 Time: 13:00:09 Posted By: Jan
By NONDUMISO MBUYAZI
The lives of petrol attendants have become extremely hazardous as the massive increases in the price of petrol have resulted in them being driven over, shot and stabbed by drivers.
Adding insult to injury, if motorists drive off without paying, the attendants have to pay for the petrol.
In two separate incidents recently a petrol attendant from Soweto was shot dead and another from Empangeni was knocked over by a motorist who refused to pay and then drove off, knocking him down in the process.
This has angered the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and spokesperson Elias Kubheka said petrol attendants throughout the country needed more security.
Armando Muhaswa, 24, a petrol attendant from Soweto, was stabbed and shot dead last Sunday at an Engen garage. Inspector Kay Makhubela said Muhaswa was shot four times by men in a red car.
National Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) spokesperson Bronwyn Taylor said there had been a “spate of incidents” that had occurred recently.
Attendants said they were “scared” and living in “fear”. Jabu Nxumalo, a Durban petrol attendant, said: “I’ve been working as a petrol attendant for the past three years and this is the first time I’ve noticed such a trend. We know that the petrol price is high, but that does not give motorists the right to just drive off without paying their bill.”
Nxumalo said he was angered by the fact that he had to pay for the stolen petrol while he does not even have a car.
“It’s so sad, because we don’t get paid much and from the little money that we earn we have to pay for these thieves who just drive off,” he said.
Xolani Mkhize, a garage manager in KwaMashu, said although his staff had not encountered such incidents, he had already alerted them about the increasing trend. He said: “I have warned my staff about this trend. I told them that if a customer is not a regular, they should ask them beforehand for the cash or card. It’s so sad that this is happening, because at the end of the day the petrol attendant is the one that has to pay the bill.”
Taylor said they were working on an industry plan of action to be implemented soon.
South African Petroleum Industry Association spokesperson Avhapfani Tshifularo advised attendants to always be vigilant and to make a note of the registration number before filling up a customer’s car.
“It would be advisable for petrol stations to change their policy and start to request payment first before filling cars,” he said.
Tshifularo said attendants should not fight back if a motorist refused to pay as this could put their lives in danger. Taylor agreed and said an attendant should never run after the vehicle or attempt to stop it.