Posted on 10/03/2012 2:23:27 PM PDT by blam
South Africa Is On The Brink Of Total Chaos As Strikes Are Leading To Fuel And Cash Shortages
Matthew Boesler
Oct. 3, 2012, 11:02 AM
The labor strikes that have engulfed the mining industry in South Africa in recent weeks have now spread to one of the country's most vital industries – trucking.
Without the trucking industry facilitating the flow of goods between purchasers and suppliers, things can get ugly pretty quickly, as they did in the U.K. in 2001 when truckers went on a similar strike and brought the British economy to the brink.
Truckers are already entering their second week of strikes in South Africa, and the economy is beginning to show cracks in the facade.
Now, ATMs are running out of cash.
Gas stations are running out of fuel.
Hospitals are running out of vital supplies.
This comes via Sibongile Khumalo, a correspondent in South Africa for the Agence France Presse:
The strike has halted the delivery of goods across the country, as more than 20,000 workers dig in on their demand for higher wages.
Fuel pump stations have begun to dry up in several areas in Gauteng province, the country's economic centre, according to the South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA).
"Some garages in Gauteng have been reporting fuel shortages since this past weekend," said Fani Tshifularo, the association's spokesman.
"Unfortunately garages do not keep large reserves of fuel on premises, so shortages are likely to occur faster," he said.
Meanwhile, hospitals are no longer receiving shipments of coal that they use to provide power, and they are now burning through reserve stocks.
And Khumalo writes that "according to transport authorities, 80 percent of all freight in South Africa is conducted by road." That figure highlights why the trucking industry is
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(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Zimbabwe disease strikes again!
At least there is no more apartheid.
Hmmm. Gold will be fun to keep a eye on.
Thank God that mass-murdering Commie Nelson Mandela got rid of Apartheid or things might really get bad in Soith Afreeka.
comming to America
Zuma is worse than Mugabe.
Aren’t strikes wonderful? The media after all are in love with unions.
Aren’t strikes wonderful? The media after all are in love with unions.
Nothing will help you other than
1) Prepositioned resources
2) Distance from unstable population centers
3) Eventually - The ability to create own resources
Gold is not on that list, except as barter
Land, Food, Water, Clothes, Fuel, Shelter, Medicines,
Tools, Power, Weapons, Seeds, (Greenhouse?)
The process requires careful and extensive preplanning
The Mormons are well positioned to ride this one out
As well as the Amish, Mennonites, and Rural Farmers
Preppers’ PING!!
I'll continue to watch the spot price, it is a 'gauge' of the world.
Togetherheid is so much better.
The current situation is horrible. Apartheid was not that great either.
It’s getting ugly in SA
sound familiar???
Bringing in the ChiComs to run the mines is working out quite well . . . . . for the ChiComs.
A strike will be resolved, but when trucks stop permanently due to no power or any other reason that can't be resolved, it's over.
If it isn't no power that stops trucks but is something else, power will still go out because power plants depend on trucks bringing fuel to keep power going.
Water companies are, by law, to keep enough fuel on hand for generators for several days and number of days may differ by state, but if that fuel is used up and trucks can't bring more, water goes off line.
Trucks are the life line for this country and a prolonged time without them will cause major chaos and millions of deaths.
Do you want to depend on trucks for your life or do you want to have your personal world prepared to continue if there are no trucks?
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