- A recent poll found 43% of South Africans do not tip petrol attendants, with those who do giving R5 to R10.
- New apps Tipped and Tappy let South Africans tip petrol attendants by phone or card, with average tips reaching about R30.
South African petrol attendants earn about R8,200 a month in 2026. This is higher than the national minimum wage.
The job covers more than just pumping fuel. Attendants also clean windows, check oil and water and help drivers with tyre pressure.
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Most petrol station jobs are in Gauteng. KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape follow. Together, these three provinces make up most of the country's petrol station workers, showing how important the industry is to employment in South Africa.
While tipping is common at petrol stations, many South Africans do not tip at all. A recent poll found that 43% of people skip tipping entirely, BusinessTech reported.
Of those who do tip, most give between R5 and R10.
Experts say one reason for the low tipping rate is that people carry less cash these days.
New digital platforms are trying to change this. Apps like Tipped and Tappy allow people to tip petrol attendants using their phones or bank cards. The tools make it easier to tip without needing cash.
On the Tipped platform, the average tip is about R30. This is higher than what most people give in cash.
Tappy has also introduced wearable devices. These allow workers to receive instant payments, even without a bank account.
The new technology is helping petrol attendants and other service workers earn more. It is also helping them stay part of the growing cashless economy.
