How much money petrol attendants earn in South Africa in 2024

The Motor Industry Bargaining Council(MIBCO) has finalised its wage tables for 2024/2025, outlining what petrol station attendants should be paid in 2024.

Petrol attendants in South Africa play a crucial role in motorists’ daily lives and the overall functioning of fuel stations.

Their services go beyond merely pumping fuel; they provide a range of essential maintenance tasks, including cleaning windshields, checking oil and water levels, and ensuring optimal tyre pressure.

These actions are vital for the safety and efficiency of vehicles on the road.

Additionally, in a country with high unemployment rates, petrol stations create significant job opportunities, offering stable employment to many.

Their presence also enhances customer service, creating a more personalised and convenient experience.

According to the wage tables for 2024/2025, petrol attendants earn a minimum of R1,962.45 per week (R7,850 a month), or R43.61 per hour, while cashiers earn slightly less (R1,941.75 per week).

The changes will come into effect in September.

In line with the MIBCO multi-year wage settlement agreement signed on 4 November 2022, the retail margin on all grades of petrol may be increased. The retail margin increase is subject to confirmation by the Department of Minerals and Energy Resources (DMER) and should be ring-fenced for the recovery of wage increases.

MIBCO will send a circular to the Industry should the retail margin increase to advise on the effective date for Sector-5 wage increases according to the Main Collective Agreement.

According to data from Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), roughly 140,000 people are employed in various positions at petrol stations across the country.

The highest share of petrol station workers is in Gauteng, which accounts for roughly a third of petrol station jobs.

This is followed by KwaZulu-Natal in the second and the Western Cape in the third.

In all, these three provinces account for about two-thirds of total petrol station employment in the country.

While the gazetted minimum wage indicates the lowest amount a petrol attendant can legally be paid, it does not fully reflect what petrol attendants actually earn.

For one, tipping petrol attendants has become customary in South Africa, as the attendants perform many ‘complimentary’ services, such as washing windows, checking oil, and inflating tyres.

This adds to an attendant’s final take at the end of the month.

According to Glassdoor, an online salary and employment firm, salary submissions and surveys show that petrol attendants earn roughly R750 in tips per month in Johannesburg, South Africa.

However, tipping doesn’t seem to be as popular as it once was. A poll conducted by BusinessTech across 4,720 readers showed that the majority of South Africans don’t tip petrol attendants.

Of the respondents, 2,072 (44%) said they don’t tip, while 1,278 (27%) said they tip R5.

Only 13% tipped over R10. This included 466 (10%) people noting that they tip R20, while 138 (3%) said they tip more than R20.

Some experts noted that the cost of living pressures may be partly to blame for the majority choosing not to tip.

In South Africa, inflation and rising cost of living pressures significantly impact the tips petrol attendants receive.

As prices for essentials like food, housing, and transportation soar, consumers face tighter budgets and may cut discretionary spending, including tips.

Despite this, attendants receive varying wages depending on where they work and who they work for.

Read:The municipality in South Africa that only spends R1,000 on each resident – where kings live