Yup! Those super convenient stores that are open 24hours a day and every day of the year will soon be closed at night! Petrol station owners, who belong to a union (ANOTHER union!) the Fuel Retailers’ Association (FRA), have asked for permission from the government to close at night.

Citing high security risks and the ever increasing cost of staying open, they would like to be released from a clause in their current contracts that require them to be open 24 hrs.

Fair enough, with our pathetically crime minded South Africans who fill up their tanks and then drive off without paying, the excessive robberies at fuel stations and even the ATM’s being blown up, crime is definitely a concern for these owners. Add high operational costs, increasing wage demands, smaller margins on fuel profits and increasing electricity costs and we have a crisis with 15% of the FRA’s members running into serious financial problems which would lead them to close down or sell by the end of the year!

In my opinion, switch off the fuel pumps, send the petrol attendants home, but keep the shop open! Seriously! What the hell are we gonna do at 3am now?!