- A controversial R54 billion settlement agreement between Eskom and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), over a ‘mistake’, has been temporarily halted following pressure from civil rights group AfriForum.
- The agreement, which was set to be ratified by the Pretoria High Court today, would have led to electricity tariff hikes of nearly 9% annually over three years. Read more
AfriForum successfully lobbied Eskom to move the case from the uncontested to the contested roll, opening the door for public participation and legal challenges. The organisation argues that the settlement lacks transparency and could be deemed unlawful and unreasonable.
“To say that the public, who must fund the decision, has no interest in the matter shows Eskom’s blatant arrogance,” said Deidré Steffens, AfriForum’s advisor for Local Government Affairs. “It can no longer be tolerated and blindly funded.”
Eskom had previously rejected AfriForum’s request to intervene, claiming the public had no veto rights and that the settlement did not require public consultation. AfriForum maintains that both Eskom and Nersa must be held accountable, especially given Nersa’s history of tariff missteps and Eskom’s unstable financial management.
“This development is a victory for transparency and consumer rights,” Steffens added. “AfriForum will ensure that the public’s voice is heard.”
Phalaborwa
In a separate legal victory, AfriForum’s Phalaborwa branch has welcomed a Pretoria High Court ruling compelling Nersa to establish a tribunal within 30 days to investigate the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality’s power supply failures.
The court order, officially issued on 7 October, follows years of complaints and submissions by AfriForum and local advocacy group Let’s Change Phalaborwa. The tribunal will examine whether the municipality breached its license conditions and failed to meet minimum service standards under the Electricity Regulation Act and the National Rationalised Specification (NRS) 047-1:2002 minimum service quality standards.
“This ruling is a decisive victory for residents who have had to cope without reliable power for years,” said Hendrik Kotze, AfriForum’s provincial coordinator for Limpopo. “The court has made it clear that the regulator can no longer stand by and watch but must actively intervene.”
Nersa has also been ordered to cover the legal costs of the application.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
32 Comments
To say the public have no say in the Escom/ Nersa agreement is blatently disrespect towards the public as we are the ones who suffered under this current electicity hikes😬😬
What Scumbags the powers that be in ESKOM and whoever else is involved here.
And to say that the public must find this R54m is just like the ANC MOBSTERS and MONSTERS.
So Happy AFRIFORUM STEPPED IN !! HOORAH.
It’s a shame to see how Nersa and Escom don’t respect community
The very same community that pay
Service.
Thank you AFRIFORUM ,
Phalaborwa.
Well done Afriforum
Why should we as consumers suffer under their incompetence.And foot the bills because of them.I dont agree.Thank you Afriforum.
Why must the public paid for Nersa and Eskom mistakes?
Well done 👍👍👍
Absolutely!
Court should have ordered that costs be paid by the mayor, municipal manager ?
It is clearly evident that Nersa under the leadership of its current CEO is totally ineffective as a public instution. If I had to conduct an investigation, don’t be surprised if I find that the majority of Netsas staff gave been care deployed and don’t hold proper qualifications and expertise in financial matters.
The sane man ve said of Eskom. Congrats to Afri Forum for exposing corruption and rot in public instutions and enduring action is taken. Well fone.👍👍👍👍
Thank you Afriforum !!!
WELL DONE!!! Afriforum…they can criticize you as much as they want as an entity in whatever manner they want…but be sure…GOD brought you on this part for reasons to look after HIS people here in this South Africa that has been stripped off by corruption daily, and is still contunuing…not knowing that these things do come to an end.
Keep up the good in you as unselfish stewards of this beautiful SA to loot out this corruption by the so-called educated people’s with whatever doctorate degrees they have.
May GOD keep to protect you, giving you wisdom and courage to protect the volunerable of the volunerable 👌☝️👋🙌👏🙏.
Eskom is showing arrogance and supercilious attitude towards citizens in general. No wonder, they were looking forward and wanted the process to be expedited to fleece more money from public to fund the incessantly ballooning wage bill, average salary R1.1m p/a wooow!!!!!
The arrogance of Eskom and Nersa is quite astonishing. They would be nowhere if it wasn’t for the consumer. They bite the hand that feeds them. It’s diabolical.
They should be ashamed 😔
Eskom is showing supercilious attitude towards citizens in general. No wonder, they were looking forward and wanted the process to be expedited to fleece more money from public to fund the incessantly ballooning wage bill, average salary R1.1m p/a wooow!!!!!
At the risk of stating the obvious, both ESKOM & NERSA are state-owned enterprises who are funded by the tax payer. You and me, all of us! Thus we have every right to veto these crassly incompetent decisions, and the unspeakable arrogance on their part to think that we don’t have a right to veto it, which is to also make a mockery of the democracy under which we believe we live. Down with kleptocracy and its supporters. We must insist and demand competent and honest management by people who do know how to do the job properly, and are properly qualified and experienced. Stricter employment protocols must apply, and HR Dept procedures scrutinised so we don’t have a repeat of seriously under-qualified neices with no experience securing senior positions!
Thieves monitored by thieves, this is RSA democracy as enshrined in our constitution, what a farce.
Well done Afiform. Fight the good fight. No one else is doing so. We will do whatever you want us to do to stop them. Brave 💪🏼
Well done AfriForum
The reason this country needs groups like Afriforum. The mismanagement and corruption is the arrogant norm with taxpayers money.
Meanwhile:
Eskom employee’s pay package is now over R1 million per year
My Broadband
Thank you Afri-Forum for taking the time, caring, sharing and do what is right fir the citizens of our country. The scumbags at ESKOM should be removed and replaced with honourable people!
Eskom / Nersa: It’s a shame to say the list “public has no say when your ripping them off” you should be ashamed of yourselves. You are ripping us off. The incompetence you are displaying is pathetic. Have you considered the fact that millions of people are not employed affected by COV. That’s is why you have such a high number of illegal connections. I’m not supporting illegal connections because we are being punished for it please man be considered for once. You are a scam you are scamming us. You should stop your funny tricks. The arrogance from Eskom / Nersa you have displayed is questionable and you think you have it all. Well done Afriforum may the good Lord grant you more strength to embarrass all the people that are working for this two monsters.
Fantastic AfriForum! At least there’s one organization that has the guts to stand up and fight for South Africans. We’ve had enough of the terrorism sown by the ANC and their cadres in SOE’s.
Thank you Afriforum thumb up for you guys, what amaze me is couple years back tariffs jump due to theft, corruption and mismanagement. We could buy R10 electricity but R100 barely last almost 3days. Are we buying electricity for our home or do we buy the problems dating back from the Gupta corruption and theft together with Eskom debt nerds yes boss for every plan layout by Eskom
Well done Afriforum, you deserve our heartfelt gratitude and thanksgiving. You have once again shown us your dedication for good governance that is so desperately needed. Eskom and Nerds should be fully audited and vetted. They have always been in cahoots and the people has been sucked dry by their incompetent running of these SOE’s.
For ou long all must pay for the Corruption on our Country and bad Management and incompetent people on the system. BEING ROBBED.
Thank you for holding both of this group to accountability. We pay they charge
Thank you Afriforum. You’re our last hope against these diabolic state institutions who think they own South African public
Great work Afrforum. I may not like some of your views but on this one I thank you a million times. You did the right thing. We are demonstrably fed up with the lack of integrity shown by our so-called leaders. Indeed they are leaders in incompetence and corruption. We are doomed as a country. The entire government administration is premised on taking from the people and not doing anything to benefit them. This was the worst decision ever taken, that we must pay for their corruption and incompetence. Viva Afrforum. Continue to expose and shame them. We will support you
There is absolutely no disagreement that price hikes of electricity by Eskom, Nersa and the municipalities have had a negative impact to our economic growth and in attracting investment in the country. This has also led to massive thefts of electricity at the distrbution level with illegal connections. But just to point figures at Eskom would be seriously erroneous as it is not the root cause. The pricing of coal from the mines that feed the coal powered generators.are the root cause. Tampering with coal pricing structures and the historic failures to service the mines as had been previously agreed led to the escalation of coal prices.