AZAPO members are not backing down.
They’re still picketing outside the offices of National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) in Arcadia, Tshwane.
They even staged a sit-in.
According to Azapo members, the picket started on Monday, 16 January.
Azapo publicity secretary Gaontebale Nodoba said Nersa is required to conduct extensive consultation with partners and not make unilateral decisions about price regulations, like they did with the approval of the 18,65% increase of the electricity tariff requested by Eskom.
“Picketing will continue until Nersa sets aside this bizarre tariff increase.”
The party’s national gender officer, Dudu Shaba, said they were picketing against the approval of the electricity tariffs increase requested by Eskom.
She said this was uncalled for and they deem it as arrogance from Nersa.
She added that they believe NERSA has collided with Eskom.
“We are saying that because they are supposed to be consulting with people.“It’s not enough for Nersa to say it consulted with people online.
“The majority of people are complaining about this increase of tariffs,” she said.
Shaba also said they are aware that NERSA is the regulator, but it is supposed to do it in a correct way and stakeholders have to be completely consulted.
You must be SIGNED IN to read comments
Shaba said the tariffs will make people more poor.
She said it’s also a great concern that they were increasing the tariffs while there was load shedding.
Azapo members said they will continue to picket until there is no increase.
Nersa head of communications, Charles Hlebela, said they were aware of the sit-in by Azapo representatives.
“Please note that Nersa management held a meeting with them on Monday.
“The process to be followed when they are not happy with the Nersa decision was explained to them, which is that anyone who is aggrieved by the decision of the energy regulator has a right to institute proceedings in the high court for the judicial review of an administrative action by the energy regulator in accordance with the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000 Act No. 3 of 2000,” said Hlebela. .
“It’s unfortunate that they elected to stage a sit-in even after the above process to be followed was explained to them,” said Hlebela.
