Outrage over electricity price surge

By Mandisi Tyulu
26 June 2009

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has strongly condemned the 31-point-three-percent increase the National Energy Regulator granted Eskom yesterday.

Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven says this is almost four times the current level of inflation and cannot be justified as a response to Eskom’s rising running costs.

Craven says Eskom’s capital expenditure should be financed by government.

“The money must be found through a special tax, mainly paid by the corporate sector, to save the poor from punishing increases.”