Battle for power heats up

The green energy industry has called on the City of Cape Town and energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson to resolve their stalemate without approaching the courts.

Sisa Njikelana, chairman of the South African Independent Power Producers Association, was reacting to mayor Patricia De Lille's announcement yesterday that she wanted to sue Joemat-Pettersson.

De Lille told the annual meeting of the World Energy Cities Partnership that she had briefed the lawyers to take the matter to court after Joemat-Pettersson failed to respond, for more than a year, to city requests to buy power from independent producers .

The city wants to buy solar and wind power and the law requires that it applies to the minister, who then has to consult the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.

Njikelana said it was unfortunate that the city was forced to seek relief from courts and called on the South African Local Government Association to take up the issue on behalf of all municipalities.

"It would be appropriate for Salga to also take this matter and engage the Department of Energy about the involvement and the contribution of municipalities in power generation," he said.

De Lille has been vocal about the need to expand clean energy. Her municipality is involved in several innovations, including purchasing power generated by solar panels.

In her speech, she said Joemat-Pettersson had ignored several requests.

"I am seeking no favours from this minister.

"It is about time she does her job and performs her constitutional functions.

"Frankly I have become tired of asking and I am now in the process of instituting court action against her," she said.

She that she was making the move, not only for Cape Town but also in the interests of "the energy future of our country".

She said the city needed greater control over its own energy supply, and has previously said that it wants 20% to come from renewable sources by 2020.

"We would like to see a market for energy opened up in Cape Town, at which both the city and our citizens can have greater choice over how they purchase and consume energy," said De Lille.

Joemat-Pettersson's spokesman, Allan Taylor, said he was unable to comment on the matter.