Digital Tipping Boosts Petrol Attendants’ Earnings in South Africa

Petrol attendants in South Africa are quietly earning much more than many people realize — with some taking home over R18,000 a month, thanks in part to a shift in how people tip.

Petrol attendants are a staple of daily life in South Africa. They do more than pump fuel — they clean windscreens, check oil and water, and ensure tyre pressure is just right. Now, they’re becoming a symbol of how digital technology is reshaping informal service work.

According to recent data from Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), around 140,000 South Africans are employed in petrol station roles, with the majority based in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape.

While the minimum salary for a petrol attendant is set at R7,850 a month under the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (MIBCO) wage tables, new insights show that tips could significantly increase monthly earnings — in some cases, by more than double.

Digital Tipping Changes the Game

Traditionally, tipping attendants meant fishing for small change — often R5 or R10. However, many motorists now carry little or no cash. This meant fewer tips, until digital tipping platforms came onto the scene.

Enter Tipped, a local digital tipping service launched by Kimlynn Temple. With Tipped, customers can tip petrol attendants using their phones — quickly and securely.

Temple revealed that the average digital tip sits at R30, and some attendants are receiving between 12 and 20 tips a day. That’s between R10,800 and R18,000 in monthly tips, on top of their basic wage.

“One petrol attendant told me he had saved over R4,000 in tips using the Tipped wallet. That’s life-changing,” said Temple.

What South Africans Are Actually Tipping

A BusinessTech poll of over 4,700 readers paints a more mixed picture of tipping culture:

• 44% said they don’t tip at all

• 27% tip R5

• 13% tip over R10

• Only 3% tip more than R20

The main reason? People simply don’t carry cash. But digital tipping is quickly closing that gap — and it’s not just more convenient, it’s also more generous.

Earning Potential with Tips

Let’s break it down:

• Base salary: R7,850/month

• Tips (12/day @ R30): R10,800/month

• Total earnings: R18,650/month

While not every attendant reaches this figure, and tips vary by location and customer flow, the potential is clear — digital tipping is helping turn a minimum wage job into a more dignified and sustainable income.

Challenges with Traditional Tipping

Temple also noted that tipping via card machines has become harder.

“Many petrol stations stopped allowing combined fuel and tip payments. It created administrative chaos,” she said.

Tipped addresses this by sending money directly to the worker, cutting out red tape and ensuring fairness.

More Than Just Petrol Attendants

Temple says the broader service industry — including car guards and informal workers — is benefiting too. And tip patterns are seasonal, with noticeable drops in January and spikes in December and Easter.

“When tipping is easy, people do it more often,” she said. “That’s a win for everyone.”

A Changing Landscape for Service Workers

Petrol attendants have long been underappreciated, but technology is helping rewrite their story. With digital platforms removing barriers to tipping, more South Africans are saying thank you — not with coins, but with meaningful contributions.

This shift not only uplifts individual workers but is also a step toward building a more digitally empowered, service-driven economy in South Africa.

{Source: BusinessTech}

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