The dangers of contaminated diesel and how to avoid it

The SA Petroleum Retailers Association (Sapra) has supported the probe by the department of mineral resources & energy into filling stations selling watered-down diesel. It calls on motorists to report any suspicions on Sapra’s whistle-blower hotline.

The association, representing the interests of petroleum retailers in SA, was responding to news reports that at least 70 petrol service stations in SA are selling adulterated diesel contaminated with paraffin.

Paraffin affects the lubricity of diesel and does not contain the necessary additives required by modern engines. Repeated use of paraffin could lead to engine failure.

“Fuel adulteration is definitely not a new problem and one of the reasons Sapra, together with other key stakeholders in the sector set up a Petroleum Compliance Forum in 2019. Its intention was to bring back some level of reform to the petroleum malpractices under way, which inadvertently erode compliant business margins, taxes to the fiscus and impacts the integrity of consumer vehicles to perform optimally on South African Roads,” said Lebo Ramolahloane, vice-chair of Sapra.

Sapra said its whistle-blower hotline, launched in 2018, has been successful in reporting illicit trade and transport, leading to fines, penalties and suspensions. 

“The awareness created has made movement by illicit operators significantly harder. We have made a lot of good progress but this is an area which needs ongoing and urgent attention as evidenced by the recent probe,” said Ramolahloane.

He added that unscrupulous operators know that the situation is very difficult to monitor as the mixing happens at depot level before it reaches retail filling stations. He said Sapra members adhere to a strict code of conduct but if there is a problem, motorists can report any suspicions on their whistle-blower hotline.

“We will not hesitate to investigate and if found guilty take immediate action against that member in addition to any of the other punitive clauses imposed against them. Unsuspecting consumers are losing money from engine damage while the economy is losing billions in lost revenue.”

 “We are pleased to see many of the well-established filling station franchises have been cleared of any wrongdoing and 70 stations are under investigation.”

“The difficulty is determining which fuel stations are risky,” said Ramolahloane.

“There are three segments in the fuel industry. The first is franchised stations from well-known brands. While not impossible, it is highly unlikely these [would] sell adulterated diesel.”

The second segment is independent stations, which can be further divided into two groups.

“These are independent branded stations that are not part of a franchise and large wholesalers. Again, it is unlikely that these would sell adulterated fuel. The third segment is filling stations or truck stops without a brand or network behind them and diesel wholesalers who illegally sell diesel to the public at fuel depots. This is where you are most likely to come across adulterated diesel.”

However, Ramolahloane said these guidelines were not hard-and-fast rules, and the actions of a few stations should not taint the reputation of all of them in the third segment. Likewise, it was only the real-time monitoring of a particular consignment of stock that provided reassurance in the first segment.

The issue of adulterated fuel was a complex one where there were no guarantees, he added.

While efforts continue to stamp out the practice, he cautioned consumers to be wary of buying cheap diesel.

Vehicle warranties do not cover damage caused by contaminated diesel, and motorists need to make insurance claims for fuel-related engine damage.