AUTOFORUM

MISA comment

Aug 12, 2024 MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, Martlé Keyter, Hermann Köstens,

MISA comment

Jobs of fuel attendants won’t soon be impacted by electric vehicles. Fake news about the migration to electric vehicles and its impact on petrol attendants resulted in anxiety and fear of job losses amongst members of MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association.

Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations, says there are 50 000 fuel attendants (forecourt attendants) in South Africa who were led to believe that their jobs are at risk in the foreseeable future. “That is not the case. It is very unfortunate that so many people confuse the automotive industry (manufacturing of vehicles) with the retail motor industry (dealerships, workshops, fuel stations included).

“We don’t have 140 000 fuel attendants. Even if we take all the administrative staff and cashiers working at service stations into account, it only amounts to 87 000 employees. “It is misleading to publish that fuel attendants might soon be out of jobs or even that their jobs are at risk without doing proper research and asking the industry who represents their workers for comment,” says Keyter.

According to Hermann Köstens, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Strategy and Development, approximately 11 million vehicles on the country’s roads (only 0,15%), are some type of electric vehicle of which only 0,02% are fully electric. This is a drop in the ocean. The reality is electric vehicles are expensive and not selling in South Africa, with no incentives from Government, like a tax discount, motivating consumers to buy electric vehicles. “South Africa is lacking very far behind global trends. We can’t turn a blind eye to the reality. Globally there are approximately 40 million electric vehicles on the roads, also not a significant number,” says Köstens.

MISA urges publications to verify facts and refrain from publishing speculations or assumptions.

#PROUDLYMISA #MISALEADS #MISACARES #MISAONTHEMOVE #MISAFAMILY