As the winter season tightens its icy grip on Grahamstown residents, the demand for energy continues to rocket and retailers say the demand for paraffin has doubled since the beginning of the season.
As the winter season tightens its icy grip on Grahamstown residents, the demand for energy continues to rocket and retailers say the demand for paraffin has doubled since the beginning of the season.
Because electricity is so expensive, many local residents use paraffin heaters to keep their houses warm and Total garage, one of the main paraffin retailers in town, always has long queues winding along Beaufort Street, with people carrying different sizes of containers.
Total owner Zubayr Danka estimated the increase in the demand for paraffin to be between 60 and 70 percent. “These increases are not something new, they happen every year around this time,” he said. “I am able to keep up with the demand, because I have a 23 000 litre tank.”
Owner of Diamond Wholesalers, also in Beaufort Street, Babar Hayat, agreed that the demand was manageable. Both retailers sell volumes of paraffin exceeding 25 litres at cheaper prices. “The paraffin demand is very high, but I do not see any threat [of running out],” Hayat said confidently.
The major paraffin dealer in the township, Chan Henry General Dealer in Raglan Road, is a sight of many snaking queues of customers. The General Dealer's owner, Ming Chan Henry, said the demand had doubled since the beginning of the season.
"Compared to the summer season, paraffin sales have increased by 100% or more." Joza resident Lulama Joni sells food at the taxi rank and uses paraffin for cooking and heating. “Paraffin is so important for me. I use it every day for cooking and for heating up my house,” said Joni.
She said even though paraffin was expensive, it was cheaper in town than in the township. Because gas is one of the cheaper cooking and heating options for Grahamstown residents in winter, gas refillers have been struggling to keep up with the demand. “Yes, there’s been a substantial increase in gas demand in previous winters, but this year's is exceptionally big,” said D&A Timbers manager Jonathan Voorvelt.
Voorvelt said 9kg cylinders were the fastest-selling items – his shop normally sold around 100 a month – but the number had increased dramatically since the beginning of winter. “In May alone, we sold 387 9kg cylinders, and this month we have already sold 332," he said. "We also had to increase our weekly stock for the 9kg cylinders from 40 to 100.” D&A Timbers has sold about 40 gas heaters this winter alone.
