CAPE TOWN, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- A massive strike by workers in the petroleum sector is gaining momentum on Tuesday, threatening to paralyze petroleum supply in the country.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) on Tuesday threw its weight behind the strike, calling on striking workers to intensify their industrial action.
The national federation also called on the National Petroleum Employers Association (NPEA) to reopen negotiations with the workers and accede to their reasonable demands.
About 23,000 petroleum workers belonging to the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (CEPPWAWU) began their strike on July 28 after employers refused their demand for a nine-percent pay increase.
"COSATU is fully supportive of the workers' withdrawal of their labour because the union has held prolonged negotiations with employers demanding decent wage increases and an improvement in working conditions," COSATU national spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said.
The federation condemns these stubborn employers who are refusing to pay decent wages to these lowly-paid workers, while they are paying themselves exorbitant salaries, he said.
Due to the strike, petrol pumps in some parts of the country have been run dry, making it difficult for motorists to fill up their tanks.
Although the strike has not stopped the operation of the country's largest refinery, the 160,000-barrel-a-day Sapref plant in KwaZulu-Natal Province, fuel delivery and depot services have been affected.
Most of the trucks can't deliver fuel because they might be attacked by striking workers who were camping at the depot gates, according to the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
Sasol, the country's major petroleum company, said it has put contingency plans in place to ensure minimum disruption to its customers, as well as to ensure the safety of its employees and contractors during the strike.
A prolonged strike could lead to shortages at the pump in the country which is a net importer of refined petroleum products.
