Petrol woes as strike continues
At least 20 000 South African petroleum industry workers have been on strike since yesterday morning, for better wages.
Pumps at filling stations could run dry in about three days, should this continue.
According to Clement Chitja from the Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers Union (CEPPWAWU), that is indeed what is happening.
"Our members continue to picket outside their work places and tomorrow they will observe a stay-way for the entire weekend and they will be back to picket on Monday," Chitja said.
Chitja says there are indications that the talks will continue with employers.
"Primarily they will want to remove their conditional offer based on the two year agreement and we might see that flourishing into a meeting in the near future," he said.
National Petroleum Employers' Association of South Africa's CEO, Gerhard Papenfus, says no one can afford a drawn-out strike.
"If the employers cannot afford it, then they have to stick this out. If they can afford a bit more, I believe giving a bit more might bring this strike to a quick end, because unions cannot afford long protracted strikes at this moment. I cannot see that this strike will last very long," Papenfus said.