The fuel strike continues to have a significant impact in Gauteng, said the South African Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) on Monday, as talks continued between unions and the National Petroleum Employers' Association to find a solution to a wage dispute.

Peter Rapoo, the deputy president of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (Ceppwawu), told I-Net Bridge/BusinessLIVE that talks still remained deadlocked in the afternoon on all fronts. 'The talks, however, are still continuing,' he said.

The General Industries Workers' Union of SA (Giwusa), Solidarity and the South African Chemical Workers Union (Sacwu) are also negotiating a wage settlement with other employer bodies in the pharmaceutical and fast-moving consumer goods industries.

Meanwhile, Sapia, whose members include BP Southern Africa, Chevron SA, Engen Petroleum, PetroSA, Sasol, Shell SA and Total SA, said it continued to employ contingency plans to mitigate the impact of the strike.

But these plans were compromised by the increase in violent incidents aimed at intimidating non-striking staff and putting a strain on the supply of fuel to retailers, the association added.

Depots affected included Alrode, Albeton, Waltloo, Langlaagte, Germiston and Mamelodi. At least 157 of Shell's 230 retail sites in Gauteng have run out of stock of one or more grades of fuel, Shell SA said on Monday.




Source: I-Net Bridge, July 18 2011