14 July 2009.
South African consumers are now able to pay for petrol using their credit, debit or hybrid card.
In May earlier this year, the government asked the public for comments on whether consumers should be allowed to pay for petrol using their credit cards. Feedback was positive, as the Department of Minerals and Energy announced on Thursday 9 July that consumers can now purchase petrol on credit.
Payment for petrol using credit cards has previously been prohibited in South Africa due to costs associated with cards, as well as a number of safety implications. The Department of Minerals and Energy state that it will be more convenient for consumers to purchase petrol on credit.
An article on SouthAfrica.info says that although not all garages can accept credit cards yet, they are being encouraged to adapt their payment facilities as soon as possible. Engen is already encouraging consumers to use credit cards for their petrol payments, reports SABC News. Pierre Roodt, Marketing Manager for Engen, states that this will reduce the amount of cash handled at petrol stations, which should reduce the risk of robberies.
Bheki Khumalo, spokesperson for the Department, is quoted on Fin24 saying that “Removing cash from retailing operations is the primary objective for this move. It should result in improving safety conditions at retail outlets across the country." This will protect the safety of consumers who will no longer have to carry around a lot of cash. It will be especially important for tourists who will be visiting the country during the 2010 World Cup.
