Changes in consumer behaviour can negatively impact fuel stability.
The Fuels Industry Association of South Africa has warned the public against panic buying, stressing that there is no need to stockpilr on petrol or diesel.
This comes amid fears of a fuel shortage in the coming days as tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East war. South Africans are not the only ones panic-buying fuel; there have been reports that Australians have been buying diesel in bulk, leaving farmers and producers stranded.
The Fuels Industry Association has cautioned South Africans that buying fuel in bulk could place unnecessary pressure on the supply system.
No need to act irrationally
Speaking on eNca on Friday morning, the association’s Avhapfani Tshifularo said the crisis should be tackled collectively.
“We need to tackle this as a collective. We have a global crisis that’s affecting how we supply fuel in the country. So what is important is that we stick to our own normal purchasing patterns. We don’t need to deviate from that, because otherwise we’ll create unnecessary imbalance in the supply chain,” Tshifularo cautioned.
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“If all of us start to behave in an irrational way, it’s going to create problems because the supply chain is designed to service the market in the normal way. The normal way, it means you only visit the gas station when your petrol gauge is empty,” he added.
Is there enough fuel?
The association said the supply system continues to operate effectively, supported by ongoing imports and coordinated industry efforts, despite localised operational challenges.
“Current data confirm that national stock levels are sufficient. As is typical in a complex and dynamic supply environment, isolated and temporary regional supply pressures may arise,” said the association.
“However, these are being closely monitored and managed through established industry processes. Inland supply remains steady, supported where necessary by measures such as road bridging from coastal terminals.”
Hefty price increase on the cards
The association noted that a hefty increase in fuel prices in April is on the cards and unavoidable. In monetary terms, motorists can expect a big R4-per-litre increase for petrol and a massive R7-per-litre increase for diesel. And the longer the war goes on, the worse the situation will become.
CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, said that, given the uncertainty surrounding current economic events and potential ongoing increases, saving fuel whenever possible is vital.
“We have covered the most common methods to save fuel, like avoiding speeding or not idling often. Yet, there are other ways we may not immediately think of as influencing our fuel consumption.”
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