By Doreen Mokgolo
Just three weeks after 37 people died in an explosion after a petrol tanker stuck in a bridge caught fire in Boksburg, a group of desperate residents risked their lives to salvage the spoils from a petrol tanker that overturned in Germiston on Friday morning.
This week, the price of petrol 93 and 95 dropped by R2.06, diesel 0.05% dropped by R2.69 and diesel 0.005% dropped by R2.81 in South Africa. Despite the recent fuel price drop, looters went in for the spilled fuel.
Moments after the truck lost its load and came to a standstill, motorists and factory workers who were walking to work quickly gathered to salvage some of the petrol that covered Dekema Road and Black Reef Road in Germiston.
Looters used buckets to collect the fuel. Some referred to the fuel as petrol, unaware that it was actually diesel.
The group refused to heed the call of caution from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Police Department (EMPD) officers who were at the scene.
One of the looters told Scrolla.Africa that this is a gift from heaven sent to save them from a difficult January month.
Thabo Mofomme, one of the looters, said he managed to fill up his petrol tank from the spoils which is enough to last him for the next two weeks.
“Petrol and everything in this country is so expensive that I am often forced to weigh between cutting some of the basic needs to afford enough petrol to get to work,” said Mofomme.
“This was worth the risk though we acted at the spare moment but hoped that it didn’t catch fire,” he added.
Another witness and looter, Khehla Nkosi, added that though there was a petrol price drop of R2.06 on Wednesday the looted petrol will give them some relief for some time.
“We are all broke and live on loans to afford to get to work. For these few weeks, I will be spared from that frustration,” he added.
EMPD Media liaison officer, Deliwe Ndlovu, said no casualties were reported and the road had to be temporarily closed.
Pictured above: Looters salvaging petrol spoils from an overturned petrol truck.
Image source: Supplied
