Despite the fact that more than 70 000 fuel workers have joined the national strike, things seem to be business as usual in Grahamstown.
Despite the fact that more than 70 000 fuel workers have joined the national strike, things seem to be business as usual in Grahamstown.
Local fuel retailers are getting their fuel orders in time, supermarket shelves are fully stocked and, unlike in other centres, motorists are getting fuel without any problems.
Corne Pagel, manager at the local BP filling station, said, ''We're still all right. We haven't yet been affected by the strike, because tonight we're getting an order of petrol and yesterday I saw a delivery truck at the garage up the road.
The local managements of supermarkets Shoprite and Checkers could not comment because their companies' policies prohibit them from speaking directly to the media.
There have been no complaints from vehicle owners so far and local motorist Lulamela Nxopo reckons it's because Grahamstown's relatively small.
"It is to soon for the strike to affect us as motorists, because the town does not have enough motorists to finish the respective garages' fuel reserves, unlike in big towns,'' said Nxopo.
The fuel workers are striking to achieve a minimum of R6 000 a month wage, for a 40-hours week.
On Monday they joined 200 000-strong strike led by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), the Metal and Electrical Workers' Union (Mewusa), and the SA Equity Workers' Association (Saewa).
