By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG

White South African workers at petrochemical company Sasol began a protest on Monday against a company policy which they say favors black employees.

The company recently introduced a new staff share scheme called Khanyisa, exclusively giving shares to only black South African workers.

Johan Kruger, a leader of the mainly white Solidarity Trade Union, told Anadolu Agency: “This will be the first time in the history of South Africa that white employees strike because of racial exclusion.”

Kruger said their 6,300 members were currently on a go slow protest at Sasol until the company revises its policy.

The union called on South Africans to stop fueling their vehicles at Sasol in solidarity with protesters.

“We intend to switch off a different section of Sasol each day by means of well-laid and strategic plans. We have the knowledge and influence to achieve that,” the trade union said in a statement.

The South African government has an affirmative policy that requires companies to be partially black owned to address the past injustices of the apartheid.

The petroleum company said the black share scheme was introduced to meet the government’s policy on empowering blacks.

Sasol, a major South African oil producer, uses technology to convert coal and gas into fuel. It also operates in the U.S.