Skills loss a threat to biggest refinery
Unchecked exodus of skilled workers from SA’s largest crude oil refinery 'a threat to operations'
SA faces the prospect of fuel shortages as a loss of staff to oil refineries in the Middle East threatens to cripple the country’s largest crude oil refinery. Sapref, a Durban-based joint venture between Shell SA Refining and BP Southern Africa, could lose 15 key staff members from one department. In 2015, it lost 25 employees from the same department. Sapref, which has 35% of the country’s fuel-refining capacity, is concerned that if the trend continues, it may bring its operations to a grinding halt. “We continuously lose staff to the Middle East, but not in such large numbers,” said Sapref’s head of human resources, Lindiwe Khuzwayo. “In the absence of sufficient local skilled labour, the shareholders may decide to halt operations.” According to a study by the South African Petroleum Industry Association published in November 2016, the fuel sector contributes about 6.5% to the country’s GDP and supplies 18% of SA’s primary energy needs.
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