Load shedding: ANC Chief Whip admits Minister blocked ISMO Bill
Today, the ANC Chief Whip, Mr Stone Sizani confirmed that the reason the Independent Services and Market Operator (ISMO) Bill has not been considered in Parliament is because the Minister of Energy, Ben Martins, did not want it to be.
This explanation given by Mr Sizani during a meeting of the National Assembly Programming Committee explains why my numerous motions to have the Bill debated in Parliament have been blocked at every turn.
Revelations made by Mr Sizani represent a duplicitous turn of events given the Minister's earlier commitment to "fast-track" proposed legislation to level the playing field between Eskom and independent power producers via the ISMO Bill.
In fact, at the recent African Energy Indaba conference the Minister is reported as saying, "Eskom can no longer be a player, referee and linesman in the energy sector and I will be instructing Parliament to fast-track legislation in this regard".
Given that the ANC is no longer serious about ensuring competition in the energy market - a major cause of the current supply shortage we are experiencing - the DA will assume responsibility for ensuring the ISMO Bill is passed, and accordingly introduce it as a DA private members bill at the next available opportunity.
The ISMO Bill proposed to reduce Eskom's unstable, inefficient and monopolistic stranglehold over South Africa's energy sector by removing the operations of the transmission grid from Eskom and placing it in an independent entity that would foster competition.
The Bill's introduction would result in REAL job creation, allow businesses to source stable power from a wider range of producers and reduce electricity costs through improved competition.
The Minister's behaviour is a clear example of Zuma's ANC being more interested in preserving their own interest in Eskom, than ensuring stable power generation for South Africans.
The DA believes that stable power supply can be achieved by:
Ending Eskom's monopoly through partial privatization;
Creating a Transmission Service Operator who owns the grid and is entrusted with energy modelling and procurement of energy from both Eskom and IPP's; and
Allowing for wheeling through the grid so as to allow companies to procure electricity directly from Independent Power Producers.
The DA will not rest until South Africans can enjoy an efficient energy sector that provides stable power to South Africans, and which will provide cheaper electricity prices for the poor.
Statement issued by Lance Greyling, DA Shadow Minister of Energy, March 13 2014
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
