Mantashe promises to tackle fuel tampering after R3. 6 billion loss
Image: GCIS
Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, has revealed that plans are in place to continuously root out petrol stations selling adulterated fuel across the country.
The country has been struggling with widespread fuel adulteration and illegal smuggling for several years, costing the country around R 3.6 billion annually.
According to the South African Revenue Service (SARS), criminals are mixing diesel with cheaper substances like paraffin and under-declaring fuel imports to evade taxes.
In response, government agencies, including SARS and the police, have stepped up joint operations in recent years, shutting down illegal depots and seizing millions of litres of contaminated diesel. However, the problem still persists.
'The criminal syndicates engaged in these brazen acts have become emboldened to act callously with no restraint in pursuit of their rapacious and criminal gains," SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said earlier this year.
In a recent parliamentary reply, Mantashe revealed that the Department has established a fuel sampling and testing programme.
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"The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) has established a fuel sampling and testing programme, mandated by the Regulations Regarding Petroleum Products Specifications and Standards," Mantashe said.
The minister added that the department also conducts both random and scheduled fuel sampling and testing to verify compliance.
"As part of this programme, the department conducts random and scheduled fuel sampling and testing for compliance with the minimum specifications and standards at retail and wholesale depot outlets. This process is carried out routinely and operates independently of the petroleum industry's own fuel quality monitoring systems"
Mantashe emphasised that the department's fuel testing and enforcement programmes will continue to protect consumers and ensure compliance throughout the fuel supply chain.
"The Department, in collaboration with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), is responsible for ensuring that fuel distributed in the country complies with national fuel specifications and standards. Fuel distributed by licensed wholesalers and retailers, particularly illuminating paraffin, is marked with the Authentix A1 Marker 'A1 Marker'.
"This chemical marker is used to trace the presence of Illuminating Paraffin (IP) in diesel. The A1 Marker is a multi-layered chemical security solution used to detect fuel tampering throughout the value chain, as required by the Customs and Excise Act"
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