A voice note doing the rounds via WhatsApp and warning recipients that there’s a critical fuel shortage in South Africa that will affect food supply has been denounced as “alarmist”.
Speaking to Freight News this morning, Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly confirmed earlier reports by the SA Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) that reduced refinery operations during earlier stages of the lockdown regulations had affected output.
A Sapia statement issued last week said: “Since the easing of lockdown restrictions and the transition from alert level 5 to alert level 4, the opening of the economy has resulted in a more rapid recovery than expected.”
Demand for diesel in particular is said to have spiked beyond refinery capability.
However, Kelly said that word on the ground was that the situation was far from critical.
“Although stock is being rationed it’s not so bad that it’s going to bring the transport industry to a standstill. People don’t have to go out and stockpile fuel.”
The ‘independent sources’ referred to in the voice note could also serve as an indication that the message intends to spread panic and shouldn’t be trusted.
“Although output is under pressure it should be kept in mind that there’s a fuel hike that will be announced next month. That also has a role to play but transporters by and large are ready to absorb the fuel shortage.
“We are not facing a crisis.”