Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 11-07-2019
The Automobile Association (AA) says contaminating fuel with other substances could be damaging to motor vehicle engines.
This comes after a collusion by petrol station owners for allegedly loading 93 grade fuel into the underground tanks of 95 grade.
This fuel was then sold to the public as 95 grade fuel and charged as such – 95 grade fuel is more expensive than 93 grade by over 20cents per litre.
Sandile Sikhosana, owner of the Tembisa Convenience Centre – an Engen petrol station franchise – is accused with his daughter Nompulelelo, who was the manager at the store, of colluding with petrol truck drivers and contaminating the petrol.
Their matter was heard on Wednesday in the North Gauteng High Court sitting at Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
The case has opened a can of worms on how some motorists might have been duped at the fuel pumps.
Speaking to Radio Islam the AA’s Layton Beard says it’s difficult for motorists to know whether the quality of the fuel they filling in their cars is pure.
“When you go to a filling station and you look to buy 93 grade fuel, that’s what you expect to get in your vehicle. If you’re not getting 95 Grade fuel or 93 Grade fuel, if you’re getting whatever grade fuel that been mixed with something else, the consequences to you engine could be quite severe.”
So what is the difference between 93 and 95 Grade fuel?
“The one’s a higher octane which means it’s got a different chemical make-up and the octane we get in South Africa is lower than for instance what you get in Europe. They’re using for instance 98 Grade octane in many filling stations.”
Beard says most of the petrol companies conduct tests on the fuel before delivering to filling stations.
Listen to the interview with the AA’s Layton Beard
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