Description
What do we know about the petrol attendants we see on an almost daily basis? They are often subjected to verbal abuse. In fact, most of our 5,000 petrol attendants live and work in constant fear, as this report shows.
The study found that at least one violent crime is committed every day at an SA petrol station. To top it all, petrol attendants are amongst the most poorly paid employees in our formal economy.
In response to the shocking murder of five Grassy Park petrol station workers mid-2001 last year, the HSRC Social Cohesion and Integration (SCI) research programme, in conjunction with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Community Chest and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) launched an extensive study into the dynamics and social conditions at South Africas petrol stations.
Publication has evoked widespread comment. Business Day described the 26 recommendations as common sense, urging that they be implemented without delay and recommending a 1% levy on the price of petrol to be able to implement security structures at petrol stations.
The working group gathered information from presentations, letters and submissions from interested parties and conducted a major survey of service stations in the Western Cape, interviewing petrol attendants and their managers.

Contents

Executive Summary

1 The Petrol Station 5 Safety Project
Introduction
Terms of reference

2 Structure of the SA Retail Fuel Industry
Topography
The oil companies
The retailers
The consumers
The petrol attendants

3 Context and Environments
Introduction
The policy environment
The socio-political environment
The internal environment

4 Violent Crime at Petrol Stations The Issues
Introduction
Crime patterns in South Africa
Crime patterns at petrol stations
Literature: forecourt crime and workplace violence

5 Responses and Strategies
Introduction
What has been done
Problem areas

6 Conclusion and Recommendations
Introduction
Recommendations

Appendix: Survey Methodology

References