Revealed: 70 gas stations in SA selling watered-down diesel

An investigation by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has revealed that 70 gas stations in South Africa are selling watered-down diesel to customers.

According to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi this was revealed during a routine annual exercise.

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“Its not necessarily an investigation, but a routine annual exercise by the department where we randomly visit fuel retailers and wholesalers to sample and test diesel.

“We test at least 1500 of retailers from the more than 5000 we have in the country. So, in the tests conducted between April and December 2023, 70 had adulterated diesel.”- Makhosonke Buthelezi said.

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A ROUTINE ANNUAL EXERCISE REVEALED THAT 70 GAS STATIONS HAS ADULTERATED DIESEL

He said the practice is illegal as it is a form of tax evasion because illuminated paraffin doesn’t have a fuel levy or a road accident levy.

HERE IS THE BREAKDOWN:

The routine exercise found gas stations with contaminated diesel in:

• Mpumalanga 9;
• Limpopo 15;
• North West 13;
• Kwazulu-Natal 13;
• Gauteng 5;
• Western Cape 4;
• Free State 4;
• Eastern Cape 1; and
• Northern Cape 6

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape has expressed concern about the findings that revealed that four petrol stations in the province are selling diesel, which has been watered down with paraffin.

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THE DA IS LOOKING FOR NAMES OF THESE PETROL STATIONS

It said the party is looking for names of petrol stations that sell ‘watered down fuel’.

“This poses a major threat to vehicle engines and can potentially cause significant mechanical problems,” said Derrick America, the DA’s spokesperson on mobility in the Western Cape.

America said that mixing fuels is not only a danger to the safety of vehicles but also an illegal act and fraud that financially exploits consumers.

‘MIXING FUELS IS NOT ONLY A DANGER TO THE SAFETY BUT ALSO ILLEGAL’

“Minister Gwede Mantashe must make sure that the names of these petrol stations are made known so that residents of the Western Cape can be made aware of the stations that sell fake diesel.”Derrick America said.

He said that this watered-down diesel is sold at exactly the same price as approved diesel.

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THE WATERED-DOWN DIESEL IS SOLD AT EXACTLY THE SAME PRICE AS THE APPROVED DIESEL

“We must protect consumers from this dangerous and fraudulent practice to ensure the welfare of their vehicles and finances.”