Johannesburg – Lobby group Right2Know (R2K) on Thursday lashed out at Eskom after having its members locked out from the public hearing into the utility’s application for an electricity tariff hike in Midrand.
Hundreds of Gauteng R2K protesters descended on the last leg of countrywide public hearings into Eskom’s application to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) to be allowed to hike tariffs.
If successful, the application could see Eskom raise tariffs by up to 16.6 percent in order to recoup R22,8 billion in overspent and unearned revenue from customers.
R2K Gauteng organiser Ntombiyebongo Tshabalala, who was at the protest, said they were there to demand full participation regarding this application, and being locked out of the hearing “smacked of secrecy”.
“Our members, except for one, have been barred from entering the hall. We are protesting against Eskom’s secrecy of discussing public issues in private,” Tshabalala said.
“Why are they having these meetings in fancy places and not in townships like Soweto? How can we be expected to fully participate in these processes when there’s no transparency around matters that affect poor people?,” Tshabalala asked.
Eskom could not be reached for comment.
But Nersa, which is the entity holding the hearings, dismissed R2K’s allegations that there is secrecy at the hearings.
Nersa spokesperson Charles Hlebela said the venues to hold the hearings were selected based on the criteria of centrality, accessibility, facilities and equipment.
Hlebela also highlighted that the same hearing last year in Gauteng was held in Nasrec, close to Soweto.
“The places must be accessible through public transport and be able to accommodate many people. They must also be facilities with equipment to allow for power-point presentations,” Hlebela said.
“The Right2Know had its representatives allowed to make submissions at the hearing. They know they have a democratic right to protest outside the venue, as long as it does not interfere with the proceedings of the hearing,” Hlebela said.
He added that since the hearings were coming to an end on Friday, Nersa would consider the inputs and comments throughout the country before making a decision at the end of February.
African News Agency
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