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. Petrol attendants at an Engen garage in Diepkloof, Soweto, were recently spotted by Sowetan tendering the station’s garden and sweeping floors, duties they say fall outside what they were hired to do.Video:@MimieShanapic.twitter.com/ol6l6Ltj2g “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.

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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 “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.

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