Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu. Picture: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers
The debate of urgent public importance on the upcoming electricity tariff hike, which was scheduled for next Tuesday in the national Assembly, has been postponed to a yet to be announced date.
The postponement is due to Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa being out of the country on the day of the debate.
In its place, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu will make an executive statement on the challenge of extortion that is facing many parts of the country.
Programme whip Cameron Dugmore told the programme committee that National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza had agreed to the debate on a matter of importance on the issues related to energy and Nersa as requested by DA MP Kevin Mileham.
“The problem, however, was that the Minister himself is literally out of the country. So there is a commitment to try and schedule that matter as soon as possible... because it is a matter of public importance and we are committed to it and there is no reason because the Speaker has agreed.” Dugmore said.
“What has happened in the meantime... is that the Minister of Police wrote to the speaker requesting to do an executive statement.
“There has been an agreement that he will make an executive statement on the issue of extortion on Tuesday 3 September,” he said.
Dugmore also said all parties in the House will have an opportunity to speak and the Minister would then respond at the end.
“It is a good form for all of us to deal with the issue of extortion. The appeal will be that once timing is worked out every party participates in this debate because all of us as Parliament and the country need to respond to what the Minister has to say in that regard,” he said.
DA chief whip Michael Michalakis said they have had a discussion on the matter because it is urgent.
“I am happy under the current circumstances for it to be postponed, but not too far so that the matter can still be dealt with urgently if the Minister is back by 10 September but if not then as soon thereafter, but we will coordinate the dates according to the Minister’s availability,” Michalakis said.
Mileham has previously said the debate will focus on the legality of Eskom being allowed to impose a 4% increase that it wanted to levy on consumers through its Regulatory Clearing Account next year.
The increase could see the struggling power utility collecting an additional R8 billion from consumers, he said.
Cape Times