WATCH | Motor regulatory body probes Astron, Engen over petrol attendants’ ‘extra duties’

More petrol attendants from two fuel stations have made allegations of being forced by the managers to perform additional work, including tending gardens.

The Motor Industry Bargaining Council (Mibco) is set to visit and inspect Engen service garage in Zone 5 in Diepkloof and the Astron garage in Turffontein, south of Joburg, after Sowetan made them aware of extra duties that petrol attendants are made to do.

Fuel attendants at both garages told Sowetan they are expected to perform daily chores such as cleaning, gardening and general maintenance work that they say falls outside their job descriptions and comes with no additional pay. Mibco said the practice was unfair and violated labour laws.

At the Diepkloof station, a customer was allegedly banned from the garage after repeatedly raising concerns about the practice.

“We literally do anything and everything we are told to do. Sometimes it’s cleaning, sometimes gardening. Complaining is not an option because it could mean losing the very same job. We are all scared, even though we feel like we are doing extra work for no extra income,” said a worker from the Diepkloof Engen garage.

It is humiliating to see petrol attendants being forced to mop and clean floors. No worker wants to do a double job without being paid for it

—  Andrew Koapeng, business owner

According to another attendant, duties include:

• cleaning garage windows;
• emptying bins;
• watering flowers;
• cutting grass;
• scrubbing floors; and
• wiping down generators.

“Every day before we leave, the 6am to 6pm shift, we must mop toilets and the kitchen. The night shift has to clean all fuel pumps and also mop toilets and the kitchen. It doesn’t matter which shift you’re on; there are set chores you must do alongside fuel attendance,” said the worker.

The worker said they were unclear about their job description, adding that the section outlining duties in their contract was left blank.

Sowetan visited the Engen garage and observed fuel attendants watering plants and sweeping carports.

Businessman Andrew Koapeng, who runs a business across the road from the Engen, told the publication he has witnessed fuel attendants performing these duties on several occasions.

“It is humiliating to see petrol attendants being forced to mop and clean floors. No worker wants to do a double job without being paid for it,” Koapeng said.

He said after raising the issue more than once, he was told by the station management not to return to the garage, adding that he has since also been barred from another nearby station.

Mibco confirmed that the Engen Diepkloof site was last inspected in July 2024, while Astron Turffontein was inspected in February last year. At the time, both were found to be compliant with general labour laws. No complaints were received.

When I started here, other workers were already doing these chores. I couldn’t say no. The tasks can take about an hour of an eight-hour shift, and there’s no remuneration

—  Astron Energy fuel attendant in Turffontein

At Astron Energy in Turffontein fuel attendants told Sowetan they are also expected to clean and do gardening work.

“When I started here, other workers were already doing these chores. I couldn’t say no. The tasks can take about an hour of an eight-hour shift, and there’s no remuneration,” an attendant said.

Sowetan was made aware of the two garages by some readers who had seen a recent piece the publication ran about an Engen in Mamelodi where petrol attendants doubled up as gardeners.

Engen head office has since intervened.

Mibco general secretary Paulos Masemola said the council had not received any formal complaints but would be inspecting the Diepkloof and Turffontein sites during the week.

“We conduct regular routine inspections, but they are not necessarily limited to the above allegations but cover the whole compliance with the gazetted industry collective agreements. Routine inspections have previously been conducted on the sites,” he said.

Engen and Astron Energy had not responded to Sowetan’s questions at the time of publication.

Sowetan