Fuel stations in South Africa are under pressure despite rising petrol and diesel prices Image: David Ritchie/Independent Newspapers
The Petroleum Retailers Association says fuel stations across South Africa are under serious pressure, particularly in rural areas where sales are low, and costs keep rising.
IOL previously reported that fuel stations in South Africa are facing the heat, despite rising petrol and diesel prices, with owners warning that tight margins and soaring costs are making it hard to stay afloat.
This comes as the war in the Middle East continues to drive global oil prices higher, pushing local fuel costs to record levels. Last month, motorists were hit with price increases of R3.27 per litre for petrol and R5.27 per litre for diesel.
In an interview with Cape Talk, chairman Henry van der Merwe warned that some fuel stations may be forced to cut staff hours, reduce operating times, or close certain shifts if the situation does not improve.
He said that customers are changing their behaviour, with many motorists no longer filling their tanks fully and instead buying smaller amounts of fuel at a time to manage costs.
Van der Merwe said this drop in demand is adding pressure on stations, along with rising expenses such as electricity, security and wages, which continue regardless of how much fuel is sold.
“It’s really, it’s hard, specifically the smaller sites, you know, the rural areas, those people are fighting and saying we can’t afford just to open at night because of security risks, because of low litres at night, so these are going to be, in the rural areas, it’s going to be a security supply issue, because people are talking of retrenching people because they can’t afford the shorter hours, and that’s for the whole country.
“That’s not a good thing; that’s not what we want, but that’s what is happening on the ground; the fuel retailers are also suffering”.
Former African Union Commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has rejected claims that removing undocumented foreign nationals would ease unemployment. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
Deporting undocumented foreign nationals from South Africa would not automatically create jobs, says former African Union (AU) chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
She added that, amid South Africa’s high unemployment rate, many citizens were blaming African migrants living in the country.
Her comments come amid growing concerns over the safety and well-being of foreign nationals as tensions linked to anti-illegal immigration demonstrations escalate.
Many migrants travelled to South Africa in search of better opportunities. Instead, some say they are living in fear and sleeping with one eye open amid rising hostility.
Protests targeting undocumented migrants have intensified across the country, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Protesters claim undocumented migrants are taking jobs meant for South Africans, placing pressure on healthcare services and schools, and failing to contribute to the economy through taxes.
Despite repeated calls for calm from the government, demonstrations have continued to escalate.
Dlamini-Zuma, a former Home Affairs minister, said illegal migration was undesirable but stressed the need for legal migration pathways.
“I think if we were to look at the free movement of people, there is a protocol that all Africans signed at the AU (African Union), most of them, but it’s not being implemented because they have not ratified it,” she said.
“Because that free movement does not say people must come illegally. It says they must come legally into a country and obviously respect the laws of that country. But we have not ratified that. Only four countries have ratified it.”
She said she did not believe deporting undocumented foreign nationals would resolve South Africa’s unemployment crisis.
“Because there is unemployment, people are now trying to attribute that unemployment to Africans who are here,” Dlamini-Zuma said.
“I don’t think if they left, there would be employment in South Africa. There would still be unemployment. Legal migration is what we should be looking at.
“Yes, illegal migration is not desirable. But legal migration is fine. People who are here illegally should be dealt with, but that should not create hostility.”
South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 31.4% in the previous quarter.
Quarterly labour force survey data released by Statistics South Africa earlier this month, showed the number of employed people fell by 345,000 to 16.8 million, while the number of unemployed people increased by 301,000 to 8.1 million.
Dlamini-Zuma said unemployment would persist even if undocumented migrants left the country, arguing that South Africa faced a shortage of relevant skills.
“If you look at Agenda 2063, it says there must be a skills revolution because it recognises that if young people are not skilled, they are unlikely to get jobs or create jobs themselves,” she said.
“We need a skills revolution here in South Africa because many unemployed people do not have the skills the economy requires.”
She said some unemployed South Africans were educated but lacked the practical skills needed in the labour market.
Men adorned in traditional Zulu attire, affiliated to the March and March movement, continue to march through the streets of Durban, calling for the removal of illegal foreign nationals in the country. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
Dlamini-Zuma said she was impressed by skills training centres she recently visited in India.
“They were teaching young people how to repair cellphones, drones and electric motorbikes, as well as how to install and maintain solar systems,” she said.
“Those are the kinds of skills that create jobs. Companies employ them, and those who do not want formal employment can start their own businesses.”
She added that economic growth was also essential to absorbing new entrants into the labour market.
“If the economy does not grow, it will not be able to absorb people entering the labour market,” she said in an interview with SABC News.
Meanwhile, protests against undocumented migration continue to spread across South Africa.
Anti-illegal-immigration group March and March, which has led demonstrations across the country, has threatened a national shutdown on 30 June if the government fails to meet its demands.
The group is calling for stricter visa regulations, a review of asylum policies, action against businesses employing undocumented migrants, accountability for corrupt police officers and restrictions on public services for undocumented migrants.
On Tuesday, the government called for calm following high-level talks on rising protests over undocumented migration.
However, the group said it would proceed with its planned nationwide shutdown.
The talks followed an urgent meeting at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Monday between ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster.
The meeting focused on growing demonstrations against undocumented migration and included discussions with political parties, organisations and protest groups involved in community marches.
Speaking at a media briefing, Defence Minister Angie Motshekga said citizens had a constitutional right to protest.
“The 30th of June is within their rights. There is nothing to panic about,” she said.
However, she warned against unlawful behaviour during demonstrations.
“We have seen incidents during some marches that cannot be overlooked,” Motshekga said.
“While South Africans have the right to protest and their anger and frustration are understood, the government is also hard at work.”
She said the Department of Home Affairs continued to conduct inspections and operations targeting undocumented migration.
“It is not as though there is already a crisis because of the threat of 30 June,” she said.
“On 1 July, the sun will still rise in the east and set in the west.”
Motshekga also urged protesters to respect the dignity of migrants.
“I was terrified when I saw a South African pepper-spraying a foreign migrant,” she said.
“At the end of the day, they are human beings. We have a duty to protect everybody’s dignity.”
She added that migration was a global phenomenon that South Africa needed to manage responsibly.
“It has created serious challenges for us as a country and for the state, but it is also a global trend that we must manage both as a continent and as a country,” she said.
Former Home Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has argued that removing undocumented foreign nationals from South Africa would not automatically create jobs. Image: XOLILE MTEMBU
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi rejected claims that the government had failed to act on immigration.
“We have not been lukewarm,” Kubayi said.
“Joint operations have been taking place week in and week out, and we have statistics to show for it.”
Kubayi reiterated that groups had the right to protest but urged organisers to ensure demonstrations remained peaceful and coordinated with authorities.
“We have appealed to them to notify us about marches – how many people they expect and where they are going – so law enforcement can prepare adequately,” she said.
“When they do not notify us, it becomes difficult to plan.”
Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni cautioned local spaza shop owners who are fronting for foreigners. Image: Supplied
The Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni, has threatened to withdraw funding for spaza shops after many locals applied and handed shops back to foreigners.
Speaking at the South Africa Funeral Practitioners Association international conference in Durban on Tuesday, Ndabeni revealed that in the first phase of disbursement of R500 million that was set aside to support the township and rural economy, the government discovered that there were locals who fronted for foreigners.
She said that her department set aside R150 million, while R350 million came from the Trade and Industry Department (DTI); however, the government was disappointed when it discovered that locals applied for funding only to hand over spaza shops to foreigners.
She warned that as her department rolls out the second phase of the disbursement, she would ensure that those locals who front for foreigners do not get funding, saying her department would strictly scrutinise every application to ensure the funding is going to the correct person.
She further stated that there would be follow-ups and inspections of spaza shops that received funding to see who is running them.
“We appeal to locals to stop applying for funding for their spaza shops and handing them over to foreigners. This undermines the country’s efforts to grow the local economy and uplift locally owned businesses. There are no visas for spaza shops and if we discover that the practice continues, we will not hesitate to withhold funding.,”
She also stated that the R150 million from her department is for stock, while R350 million from DTI is for infrastructure, adding that half of the funding has already been disbursed, with KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga emerging as the biggest beneficiaries.
Ndabeni also defended locals for demanding the closure of foreign-owned spaza shops, saying that it was not informed by xenophobia but by unfair trade practices, as there are no visas for foreigners to come here and open spaza shops. It has been reported that many foreigners come through with tourist visas, then convert them to asylum and end up opening businesses.
In response to that, Ndabeni said her department has introduced a Bill in Parliament that seeks to reserve certain sectors of the economy for locals, such as spaza shops.
Furthermore, she promised to assist the burial industry and other small businesses by dealing with red tape that comes with compliance mechanisms from departments such as Home Affairs, Health, and municipalities.
While assisting with the reduction of red tape, she urged small businesses, when new legislation affecting them is being drafted, to participate in public hearings.
She explained that these red tapes they encounter after a Bill has been passed into Act would have been prevented had they submitted their input to the responsible parliamentary committee.
The four-day conference ends on Wednesday.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za
Pick n Pay’s store network has undergone significant changes over the past decade, with its store reset programme seeing the footprint shrink significantly.
However, Pick n Pay CEO Sean Summers said this programme, which targeted loss-making stores, has now been successfully concluded and has aided the group’s financial health.
Now, the group is embarking on a review of its store labour model, having initiated Section 189 proceedings in early May.
In addition, with its store reset programme completed, the company can now focus on optimising and refurbishing its existing network, as well as rolling out new stores that better align with the group’s strategy.
Pick n Pay released its results for the 2026 financial year on Monday, 25 May, which showed some progress in the company’s ongoing turnaround.
One notable milestone was the conclusion of Pick n Pay’s store reset programme, which was launched in the 2024 financial year.
This programme was considered a core element of the group’s turnaround strategy, aimed at eliminating losses from underperforming company-owned Pick n Pay stores.
At the start of this programme, Pick n Pay identified 112 loss-making stores that would either be closed, converted to Boxer stores, or converted to Pick n Pay franchises. By 2025, this had increased to 114 stores.
This decision came at a cost. Since the stores had limited scope for reaching profitability, resetting the estate triggered a huge non-cash asset impairment of over R1.73 billion in the 2024 financial year.
In 2025, an impairment loss of R93 million was recorded relating to the reset stores.
However, Summers previously explained that this short-term pain would be worth the long-term gain.
To his point, the store reset programme was projected to lead to associated savings and loss avoidance of around R850 million in the 2024 financial year.
This programme, along with other factors, has significantly altered Pick n Pay’s footprint over the past two years, though the group now still has more stores in its network than it had a decade ago, as seen in the table below.
Financial Year
Pick n Pay (Company-Owned)
Pick n Pay (Franchise)
Boxer (Company-Owned)
FY16
596
549
208
FY17
661
614
229
FY18
722
660
246
FY19
749
719
270
FY20
794
774
298
FY21
N/A
761
N/A
FY22
N/A
N/A
N/A
FY23
957
747
428
FY24 (Store estate reset programme started)
1,007
722
477
FY25
971
697
525
FY26
992
620
576
Note: The exact split between Pick n Pay and Boxer company-owned stores is not explicitly detailed in the company’s reports for FY21 and FY22. However, the group reported a total of 1,172 company-owned stores and 761 franchise stores at the end of FY21.
Boxer booming as Pick n Pay shrinks
As Pick n Pay has been implementing its store estate reset programme, its subsidiary, Boxer, has only seen its network grow over the past few years.
Boxer is currently one of the fastest-growing retailers in South Africa, having grown its network by 99 stores between the 2024 and 2026 financial years.
Over that same period, Pick n Pay’s company-owned stores declined by 15 stores, while the franchise network shrank by 102 stores.
Boxer’s network naturally benefited from Pick n Pay’s store reset programme, as some loss-making stores were converted to Boxer stores.
However, Boxer’s footprint has also grown in its own right, with the group’s network having more than doubled from 208 to 576 stores over the past decade.
While Pick n Pay’s store reset programme was specifically aimed at company-owned Pick n Pay stores, the group has also seen a significant reduction in franchise stores over the past few years.
Franchise stores have historically been a vital part of Pick n Pay’s strategy, with the network having peaked at 774 stores in the 2020 financial year.
However, in recent years, this footprint has shrunk significantly, due to a combination of closures, conversions, and the termination of the Namibian master franchise agreement.
The termination of this agreement led to 36 franchise stores being closed in the 2026 financial year alone.
The closures and conversions of franchise stores occurred independently of Pick n Pay’s store reset programme, with many starting even before it was launched.
For example, in 2021, the group converted 34 franchise stores to company-owned formats, another 7 the year after, 22 more in 2023, and another 10 in 2024.
In mid-2025, Pick n Pay also acquired the franchise operations in Botswana from its master franchisee for R36 million. This deal effectively “corporatised” the region, converting 13 franchise supermarkets into corporate-owned stores.
These conversions allowed Pick n Pay’s corporate-owned store network to decline far slower than its franchise network, despite the store estate reset programme.
The ANC has instructed Sisi Tolashe to step down as Member of Parliament and as the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
ANC has moved against ANC Women’s League president Sisisi Tolashe, instructing her to resign as both an MP and ANCWL president after the party’s integrity commission found her guilty of misconduct in public office.
This was confirmed by senior party insiders to IOL, who said this was discussed over the national executive committee (NEC) meeting over the weekend.
Behind closed doors, however, the sources described an atmosphere of fury, frustration, and political exhaustion.
“The organisation reached a point where it could no longer defend the indefensible,” said a senior ANC source familiar with the NEC discussions.
“Leaders agreed that failing to act against Tolashe would destroy whatever credibility the ANC still has on issues of ethics and accountability.”
Another senior party figure said the decision was meant to send a message across ANC structures.
“This is the strongest signal yet that the era of protection and excuses is being challenged,” the source said. “The ANC understands the public is watching closely.”
The ANCWL is now expected to hold urgent discussions over Tolashe’s exit as fears mount over instability and factional battles inside the league.
Another source who backed the decision said the party had no choice.
“Painful as it is, accountability must apply to everyone… The movement cannot survive if leaders believe positions are shields against consequences,” the source said.
Despite mounting pressure, Tolashe had resisted calls to resign, insisting she would only step aside if Ramaphosa personally instructed her to do so.
The president eventually dismissed her from the Cabinet but now the ANC is moving to remove her from every remaining position she holds within the state and the party.
The matter reached a boiling point during a tense weekend meeting of the ANC’s NEC, where members endorsed the integrity commission’s findings and escalated the case to the party’s disciplinary committee.
On Tuesday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula confirmed that Tolashe and former police minister Bheki Cele were among five ANC members referred for allegedly bringing the organisation into disrepute.
“The constitutional disciplinary process will run its ordinary course,” Mbalula said.
