(1) With regard to the difference in electricity tariffs approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and implemented by the City of Cape Town (CCT) Metropolitan Municipality (details furnished), and the subsequent legal action by the CCT (details furnished), what is the status of the court application to review Nersa’s decision for the 2022-23 municipal financial year;
(2) whether, following the failure of the CCT’s urgent High Court application regarding the electricity tariffs for the 2023-24 municipal financial year, the CCT has taken any further legal steps with regard to the 2023-24 Nersa tariff decision; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether the CCT obtained an interim decision from Nersa and/or a High Court order, which permits them to charge a tariff hike in excess of the Nersa decisions for each municipal financial year, pending the final determination of their review(s); if not, (a) under what authority did the CCT increase its tariffs in excess of the Nersa approved increase, (b) can the CCT rely on any statutory provisions for the tariffs that residents have been paying since 1 July 2022, (c) does his department offer residents who have been overcharged, any recourse and (d) what is the estimated and/or actual total amount in excess of the approved Nersa tariffs of electricity charged to residents of Cape Town, since 1 July 2022;
(4) how has Nersa dealt with the complaints and objections it received from the residents of Cape Town during 2023 when the above-approved tariff hike became public knowledge;
(5) whether Nersa intends taking any action against the CCT as a licensed distributor that allegedly violates a Nersa decision on electricity tariffs; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what (a) action and (b) are the relevant details in cases where Nersa had acted in such cases?
1. The matter is awaiting judicial management to determine the date for the hearing. The exchanges between the parties have been completed save for the filing of Heads of Arguments which the date for their submission will be determined by the judicial management.
2. The City of Cape Town Metro took the decision of NERSA for a judicial review and the matter is also ...
(1) (a) What total number of mining rights holders are not implementing the Social Labour Plans (SLPs) and (b) on what dates were the SLPs last reviewed.
(2) whether his department record community objections to the way in which the SLPs are being implemented; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what total number of objections were recorded in each region (a) in the past three financial years and (b) since 1 April 2023?
(1)(a) 326 Mines have not fully implemented their Social and Labour Plans due to variety of reasons. These include mines that are not yet operational as well as those under Care and Maintenance.
(b) The Social and Labour Plan (SLP) incorporates various elements of the Mining Charter such as Human Resources Development, Employment Equity, Procurement, Local Economic Development, Management of Downscaling and retrenchments as ...
Whether his department has put any plans in place to extend the testing of fuel at more service stations to monitor and/or check whether the fuel is adulterated; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. Diesel adulteration is not only a challenge in South Africa but globally. It is increasing as unscrupulous businesspeople seek to benefit from the tax differential between paraffin and diesel.
2. Yes, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (“the DMRE”) intends to extend testing of fuel at more service stations to establish full extent and challenges confronting the sector on fuel quality. The ...
What are the relevant details of the process that was followed to appoint Mr Xolile Sizani as the permanent Chief Executive Officer of PetroSA?
- The position of PetroSA CEO was advertised on the CEF SOC website as well as the websites of its subsidiaries in April 2023 and the closing date for applications was 31st May 2023.
- A total of 49 applications were received, 3 of which were received after the closing date and 2 duplicate applications.
- Six (6) candidates who met the minimum job requirements and qualifications ...
Whether, with regard to the licenses and authorisations required for independent power producers (IPPs), his department considered establishing a single portal to expedite the authorisations required for IPPs such as environmental impact assessments with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, water use licenses with the Department of Water and Sanitation and various land consents which can be used by IPPs and relevant government departments to ameliorate the bottlenecks; if not, (a) how is his department assisting IPPs to expedite these consents and authorisations and (b) will his department consider establishing such a portal; if so, (c) on what date does he envisage the portal to be operational and (d) does his department have buy-in from the various government departments?
In July 2023 government launched an Energy One Stop Shop to assist Independent Power Producers (IPPs) with a streamlined process for various authorisations. The One Stop Shop falls under the stewardship of the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) only provides necessary support. To avoid duplication of effort, the DMRE does not intend to ...
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Whether he will furnish Mr W F Faber with a (a) list and (b) full description of all events planned by his department to take place before 29 May 2024 in celebration of the 30 years of democracy in the Republic, including the (i) projected total cost or expenditure of each event and (ii) breakdown thereof in terms of expenditure for (aa) catering, (bb) entertainment, (cc) venue hire, (dd) transport and (ee) accommodation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Regarding (a), (b), (i), (ii) (aa) – (ee), at present, the department has not planned to host events nor allocated any budget for such events taking place before, or on and after 29 May 2024 to celebrate 30 years of democracy in the Republic. All our planned activities are in line with the department’s mandate and operational plans.
What (a) are the reasons that his department is delaying in plugging residents of Middelplaas Emoyeni section Ward 83204031, Mpumalanga 324, Nkomazi Local Municipality to the grid, (b) was the initial time frame put in place by his department to complete the project and (c) are the reasons that there has been no communication regarding new time frames put in place to complete the project and finally plug the community to the grid to collect the much needed revenue?
The structure of the Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP) within the department requires municipalities to apply for funding to electrify their prioritised areas through Integrated Development Plans (IDP). In the 2021/22 financial year, the department received an application from Nkomazi Local Municipality to electrify Middleplaas area, which was successfully funded and implemented by the municipality. It is worth noting that Emoyeni was not part ...
With reference to his reply to question 186 on 22 February 2023, what are the details of the (a) make, (b) model, (c) year of manufacture, (d) date of purchase and (e) purchase price paid for each vehicle purchased by his department for (i) him and (ii) the Deputy Minister since 8 May 2019?
(i) Vehicle purchased for Minister Mantashe since 08 May 2019
- Make: BMW X3 s Drive 20i
- Model: GO1 X 3 s Drive 20i SAV (16DP)
- Year of Manufacture: 2023
- Date of purchase: 31 March 2023
- Price: R768, 030.00
(ii) Vehicle purchased for the Deputy Minister Dr Nkabane since 08 May 2019
- No vehicle purchased for the Deputy Minister to date March 2024 ...
Mr K J Mileham (DA) to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy:
In light ofthe escalating tensions in the Middle East and the potential threat it poses to fuel supply
lines, (a) how much strategic fuel stocks does the Republic have and (b) what contingency
measures has the government put in place to ensure security of supply should the tensions in
the Middle East persist?
(1) With reference to the Auditor-General’s Consolidated Generals Report on National and Provincial Audit Outcomes 2022-23, which indicates a material irregularity of a likely loss of R296 million in relation to fees for prospecting, licences, permits and rights that were not collected between April 2020 and March 2023, what total amount of the R296 million is owed to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in the North West,
(2) what is the total amount owed in fees by companies who applied for (a) prospecting rights, (b) licences and (c) permits in the Bojanala area;
(3) whether the licences and permits will be withdrawn as a result of the non payment of fees; if not, why not; if so, on what date will they be withdrawn;
(4) whether the interested and/or affected parties will be notified that their licences and permits have been withdrawn; if not, why not; if so, (a) how and (b) on what date?
1. Prospecting licences, permits and rights were awarded between April 2020 and March 2023. Prospecting Right holders are obliged to pay prospecting fees in terms of section 19(2)(f) of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) (as amended) (hereinafter referred to as the MPRDA). According to section 76(2) of the MPRDA Regulations a holder of a Prospecting Right must ...
