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A man holds a fuel nozzle at a petrol station.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources is calling for calm following social media reports of a looming fuel shortage.
The department has condemned messages urging motorists to rush to filling stations, labelling the calls for panic-buying as “unverified and speculative”.
In a statement, the department says it is working with the Fuels Industry Association to ensure fuel supply remains stable and there is no basis for panic-buying. The government is urging people to rely only on official communication.
Spokesperson for the department Lerato Ntsoko says, “Calls for the public to rush to the pumps are irresponsible.”
She claims that the speculation places undue pressure on supply systems and causes congestion at service stations, and causes anxiety among consumers.
“The Department calls all organisations, public representatives, commentators and social media users to act responsibly and to refrain from spreading unverified or speculative claims regarding fuel supply and fuel price developments. Members of the public are encouraged to continue purchasing fuel in the normal course and to rely on official government communication for accurate and verified information,” she adds.
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