Eskom spent R1.3 billion to keep SA’s lights on over only three months
POWER utility Eskom has spent more than R1.3 billion just to keep the lights on during the first three months of the year.
This is according to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan when responding to parliamentary questions from Freedom Front Plus MP Wynand Boshoff.
Boshoff wrote to Gordhan to inquire about the diesel that has been used in the generation of electricity at Eskom since January and the total price that the utility paid for the diesel.
In his written reply, Gordhan said Eskom utilised 110 141 069 litres of diesel for the generation of electricity at two of its open cycle gas turbine stations from January 1 to March 24.
“The total cost of the amount above is R1 385.9 million,” he said.
The revelation comes as Eskom will be the subject of debate of national importance in Parliament on Thursday.
“The National Assembly hybrid plenary will hold a debate on a matter of national public importance, to be led by the chief whip of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Mr Narend Singh, on the energy crisis and threat of a protracted failure of Eskom,” spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said.
The amount spent on diesel also comes against the backdrop of R626m in diesel spent on about 48.5 million litres last month alone.
Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter said at the time that spending on diesel was not ideal as diesel-powered gas generators were important in producing enough power to meet peak demand in the evenings.
In the last financial year, the entity spent under R7bn on its diesel plants and R3.5bn on diesel used by independent power plants between April 2021 and March 2022.
Meanwhile, Gordhan said the business rescue for airline Mango and the acquisition of a strategic equity partner for SAA were at advanced stages.
Responding to parliamentary questions from ANC MP Carol Phiri, he said the department had transferred the last tranche of R399m from the total of R819m allocated to the airline for restructuring purposes.
“The last tranche was transferred on 28 March 2022 on condition that not only should the business rescue process be completed around the end of April 2022, but that a viable strategic equity partner for Mango is identified that has financial capacity to fund the airline after it exits the business rescue process.”
He said the process of identifying a suitable strategic equity partner (SEP) for Mango was part of the conditions for transfer of the last tranche of R399m.
“The process which was initiated on December 2 2021 is expected to be finalised in the next few months,” he said.
Gordhan added that the negotiations to conclude the SAA strategic equity partner process had reached an advanced stage.