NUMEROUS franchisees of Caltex, the local service station brand for oil multinational Chevron, are facing a nasty dilemma this year when their current agreements expire.They are being told either to pay sums ranging from R1m to R9m for a new agreement, or leave their sites, empty-handed, to make way for another operator.Many have poured their life savings into these businesses and believe they should at least be allowed to sell to the next operator to realise some of the goodwill they have built up on their sites over decades.About 15 years ago, a number of operators were presented with a new five-year agreement, renewable three times but terminating in July this year. About five years ago Chevron SA restructured its business, keeping direct control over its biggest urban franchisees and putting those in smaller cities and rural sites under 11 regional “brand marketers”. The demands relating to new agreements affect both urban and rural franchisees.The controversy has emerged only t...
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