Petrol Stations May Stop Operating Overnight as Fuel Pressure Grows

• Petrol stations across South Africa may soon reduce overnight trading hours as rising fuel prices and declining sales place massive pressure on retailers
• SAPRA says many motorists are no longer filling up their tanks completely, forcing smaller fuel stations to rethink staffing and operating costs
• South Africans could soon struggle to find late-night fuel in some areas as petrol stations battle rising expenses, theft and lower customer spending

South Africans could soon find some petrol stations closed at night as rising fuel prices continue putting pressure on both motorists and fuel retailers across the country. The South African Petroleum Retailers Association (SAPRA) said that many filling stations are struggling to survive as customers spend less on fuel while operational costs continue to climb.

Smaller and rural petrol stations appear to be under the most pressure, with some owners now reportedly considering shorter operating hours, staff cuts and even complete shutdowns during quieter periods. SAPRA chairperson Henry van der Merwe explained that many people wrongly assume petrol stations make more money whenever fuel prices increase. He said the reality is very different because retailers work on a fixed margin system. He explained during an interview with CapeTalk:

Read also

New electricity bill increases coming for major South African metros

“If we sell fuel at R25 a litre, we get around R2, and if we sell it at R40 a litre, we still get around R2.”

He said soaring fuel prices are forcing consumers to change their habits. More South Africans are driving less, planning trips carefully, using alternative transport or only putting small amounts of fuel into their vehicles instead of filling up.

According to Business Tech, drop in fuel sales is now hitting petrol stations hard. Van der Merwe warned that many station owners are questioning whether it is still worth operating overnight, especially in areas where late-night fuel sales are low while security risks remain high.

“Those people are phoning and saying we can’t afford to stay open at night because of security risks and because of low litres at night.”

End of fuel relief drives June increase

The warning comes as motorists brace for another fuel increase next month. Although petrol briefly showed signs of recovery this month, the National Treasury’s decision to phase out fuel levy relief is expected to push prices back up. From June, R1.50 per litre will reportedly be added back to petrol prices, with another R1.50 expected in July as government ends the temporary relief introduced earlier this year.

Read also

Government coming after electric car owners with new RAF fee plan

According to the latest data from the Central Energy Fund, motorists could still face an increase of more than R1.40 per litre despite recent improvements in fuel recoveries. Van der Merwe also revealed that petrol stations are seeing more fuel theft incidents as prices climb. While attendants are not personally held responsible for stolen fuel, stations still suffer financial losses and often rely on CCTV footage and police investigations afterward. The situation is especially worrying for smaller towns and rural communities where fewer stations operate. If more businesses reduce hours or close overnight, some communities could face serious supply problems.

3 Other Briefly News stories about petrol stations

• A Volkswagen Polo crashed into a petrol pump at Tzaneen Sasol Lifestyle in Limpopo, leaving visible damage at the filling station.
• A South African motorist’s attempt to beat the petrol price hike ended in frustration after he encountered long queues at the station.
• A late-night petrol station dispute escalated into violence between local businessmen and their families.

Source: Briefly News