13 fuel stations in KZN implicated in ‘fake diesel’ scandal

The Mineral Resources and Energy Department has confirmed that 13 fuel stations in the province have been found selling adulterated diesel.

It's a day after the department revealed at least 70 stations nationwide had been identified as having sold diesel mixed with illuminating paraffin to customers.

KZN wasn't on the initial list of provinces, but the department said their probe was ongoing.

It says officials have been collecting data since 2007 as part of the Fuel Quality and Monitoring Programme.

Spokesperson Robert Maake says the problem is prevalent in non-branded service stations. 

Maake says they expect the figure to rise, as samples were taken from 1080 service stations out of some 4000 sites.

ALSO READ: 70 fuel stations put on notice for selling 'fake diesel'

"The department will issue a compliance notice to the service station as soon as we get the result from the laboratory, and this will give the service station about 14 days to respond with remedial action." 

“If they don't respond within 14 days, they will get a final notice which also indicates that they did not respond, and they will be given another 14 days. If they still do not respond, then the department will initiate the process to cancel the operational licence."