Sunday Independent Sunday, April 18, 2021

ELECTRICITY TARIFF Eskom’s tariff hikes, unjust and unfair “Eskom numbers indicate expenditure of around R160bn each on Medupi and Kusile. Initial quotes to Eskom were R34bn,” says energy expert MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za about now when they see that the price has gone up by 15%, is a knock-on effect of these primary coal prices that they were unable to re-negotiate, as well as the renewable energy independent power producers, bloated exorbitant costs. “This is a reflection that the very things we are saying are crippling Eskom and are a burden on its finances and are a burden on ordinary citizens,” she said. However, Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said price increases have to be implemented regularly in order to ensure security of supply. “The annual price increases were regulated by the…

BANKING Bank’s move on Ayo, ‘political meddling’ NTOMBI NKOSI and SAMKELO MTSHALI UNIONS, business organisations and political parties have slammed the decision by First National Bank (FNB) to shut down the accounts of AYO Technologies and accused some of the country’s banks of being players in the country’s factional politics rather than protecting jobs. On Thursday last week, AYO Technologies informed its shareholders that the company was given notice by FNB of the closure of its transactional accounts and that it has launched an urgent legal challenge against the bank. “Despite the Company’s best efforts, FNB has not provided AYO with what it regards as valid reasons for termination. The Company believes that it is entitled to fair treatment and as a result, the Company has instituted legal proceedings against…

MURDER CASE Who sent Kinnear’s address? GENEVIEVE SERRA genevieve.serra@inl.co.za A WHATSAPP conversation containing the address of slain Anti-gang Unit (AGU) commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear, just days before a hand grenade was planted outside of his home, may shed more light on who the mastermind is behind a web of attacks on the senior police officer’s life. Kinnear was assassinated in September last year outside of his home in Bishop Lavis. On Friday, Amaal Jantjies took the witness stand for the fourth time during her formal bail application at the Parow Regional Court. She was being cross-examined by State prosecutor Blaine Lazarus. Jantjies and her co-accused, Farez Smith, aka Mamokie, and Janick Adonis have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and procuring explosives, relating to the hand grenade incident. Smith…

BANKING AYO is challenging the matter in court Communication Workers Union (CWU) General-Secretary Aubrey Tshabalala has called for FNB to reverse its decision ’against workers’ which is tantamount to ’economic treason’. Tshabalala said the union viewed the matter between FNB and AYO in a similar manner as the 2017 decision by the banks to close the accounts of ANN7 and The New Age. “At the time the union warned that the banks must not play an active political role which has a potential in future to hold the country to ransom. While acknowledging the independence of the private institutions like banks, we are concerned that banks in a way becomes a referee and the player at the same. “The unilateral decision by FNB to close the accounts of AYO has…

FIRE Over 600 patients evacuated from Charlotte Maxeke Hospital LESEGO MAKGATHO lesego.makgatho@inl.co.za Gauteng Department of Health GAUTENG Premier David Makhura yesterday announced a 7-day temporary closure of Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Parktown, Joburg after a fire broke out at the special dispensary block on Friday. More than 600 patients have had to be moved to various hospitals in and around Gauteng – including Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital – based on the needs of the patients. Yesterday, Makhura said the hospital were being temporarily shut down as a precautionary measure. “There’s been no loss of life as a result of the fire, and there have been no casualties, but we need to take precautionary measures because the smoke that is coming in here is going into…

ELECTRICITY TARIFF Eskom costs passed on to consumers Shaku added that the introduction of IPPs was to turn Medupi and Kusile into white elephants. “The introduction of the IPPs may be to avert the servicing costs of structural faults and eventually render them redundant. “In such a case, the electricity grid which was supposed to be produced by Medupi and Kusile will be covered by the IPPs, and thus rendering the two plants even more redundant.” Energy expert Andile Nchabeleng said the introduction of IPPs and tariff increases was a strategy to recover money spent on Medupi and Kusile. “They are trying to recover costs related to their daily expenditure on power plants. The major thing is that there should be an introduction of a capital power programme. “There should…