Johannesburg - There was no explanation from the ANC chief whip’s office yesterday as to why the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) Bill has been withdrawn from the National Assembly for the second time this year.
The spokesman for Stone Sizani did not respond to questions, but the energy portfolio committee chairman, ANC MP Siza Njikelana, confirmed that the bill would not go before the National Assembly this year. “I was told by the chief whip [Sizani] that the bill would not go through”, Njikelana said.
He said there was no further explanation for the withdrawal of the bill at the eleventh hour. Pressed on whether the legislation would be put to the house early next year before the elections, he said that he would take “a directive” from Sizani’s office.
DA energy spokesman Lance Greyling commented: “For the second time this year, legislation that will result in the reduction of the price of electricity has been blocked.”
On Wednesday the ISMO Bill “was moved below the line on Parliament’s order paper, effectively preventing it from being passed this year”. It had been scheduled to be debated and voted on in the National Assembly on Wednesday afternoon.
The aim of the bill was to remove the operation of the electricity grid from Eskom and place it in an independent entity, Greyling explained. This would make it easier for independent power producers to enter the market, thereby reducing electricity prices.
“Eskom has resisted this move for over a decade and the DA suspects there has been ministerial interference in the processes of Parliament, in order to avoid Eskom relinquishing control of the grid.”
In June, the bill was referred back to the portfolio committee on energy just before it was due to go before the National Assembly, “without any real reason provided”, Greyling said. For the past four months the bill has been in limbo with the committee not being given an opportunity to reconsider it. Last week the committee finally debated the bill and decided to send it back to the National Assembly.
Eskom has repeatedly said it had played no part in stalling the bill. - Business Report