Petrol containers ban affecting businesses
MBABANE - Several small business owners in the yard maintenance industry have raised concern about the difficulties they face when purchasing fuel using containers.
In an interview with Philip Matsebula from Mangwaneni, he said there were a number of them in the industry who were faced with the challenge when they visit the filling stations.
He said that on a daily basis, each one of them used an average of seven to eight litres to service about two houses depending on the demand on that particular day.
Matsebula said whenever they get to the petrol station, the attendants only agree to sell them the fuel if they pour it in the actual brush cutter which unfortunately had a small tank for them to service a whole yard.
He said this then forced them to travel to and from the site they were working on which was time consuming and costly for them especially if the site was far from the petrol station.
Visit
“A few weeks ago I tried to visit the police station to get assistance but I was rudely turned back and I did not get help which is why a lot of us are frustrated.
“Many of us have been in this business for several years and have raised our children using the money we make from this business,” said Matsebula who spoke on behalf of some of the people that he works with.
The 51-year-old father of eight said they normally made 100 per cent profit from the money they spent on fuel but with the travelling, they lost some customers as it took long to travel to and from the petrol station to purchase fuel.
“We come from different backgrounds with different situations.
“There are over 10 people that I am friends with that are in the same situation in Mbabane,” he added.
Plead
Matsebula went on to plead with the government to assist them in this predicament adding that if people no longer supported their
families they ended up doing the wrong things such as crime out of desperation.
“Some have resorted to giving the attendants a tip to ensure that they can get the amount of fuel that they need.
“Giving that tip also kills our business because we then have to cut into the same profit that we make to purchase fuel for the next job which sets us back,” he added.
Sceptical
He said he was also sceptical to go back to the police station to ask for a letter after allegedly receiving a rude welcome when he last went there to seek help.
According to Matsebula, the police seem to be very strict these days and assumed that they wanted to make petrol bombs given the current political situation.
In an interview with Sikelela Khoza, the Communications Officer in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, he said it was unfortunate that it was beyond their control since the ban on using containers at fuel stations was still active.
He highlighted that they were aware of the small businesses that were in such industries but until government lifted the ban, the business owners would have to seek permission and documentation from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) to purchase fuel using containers.
Clarity
“We have an open door policy and if there is anyone that needs clarity they can also visit our offices but the first stop is the police station to state their case and get permission to purchase fuel for refuelling their machinery,” said Khoza.
He said if the police refused to give them a letter to use at the filling station then this meant there was a reason.
According to the communications officer, the police also had a right to screen everyone that requested the permission to use containers to purchase fuel.
“The ministry has not yet put together a specific document to assist them but the only channel that had been put in place was in collaboration with the police,” said Khoza.