Engen garage hires firm after gardening row

The Engen garage recently accused of forcing petrol attendants to do gardening work has bowed to pressure and will hire a company to do the work. The Engen Stadium Filling Station in Mamelodi will also distribute new uniforms after it emerged workers had run out of uniforms, with some having to wear flipflops while servicing cars. The latest development came after Sowetan reported the plight of workerslast monthfollowing similar allegations about a Steers eatery inGauteng.

Engen Petroleum told Sowetan that after its intervention, which included interviews with workers, the garage has resolved some issues. The franchise has moved to appoint an external service provider to carry out non-fuel-related work and has addressed concerns around uniforms and bonuses. “The dealer has undertaken to ensure staff perform roles according to their contracts of employment and will employ other contract services for roles outside the staff’s employment contracts,” said Engen spokesperson Gavin Smith.

“The matter relating to uniforms was addressed in December. Proof of purchase was provided, and new uniforms were distributed to staff accordingly. Salary payments have been made in full.

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Bonus payments were split between December and January,” he said. Workers at the filling station claim their manager has been ruling with an iron fist, and they comply for fear of losing their jobs. Workers also claimed the manager locked toilets from 6pm until 6am, forcing workers to relieve themselves in nearby bushes.

Smith said this matter was also addressed. “Customer-facing toilets are routinely locked due to ongoing incidents of vandalism. However, employees have access to toilet facilities at all times, including internal staff toilets, and are not denied access during night shifts,” said Smith.

“Engen remains committed to fair labour practices and to ensuring all dealers operating under the Engen brand uphold appropriate employment standards,” Smith said. Meanwhile, the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (Mibco) confirmed it conducted an inspection at the same garage on Wednesday after a previous inspection in July 2025.

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