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/ 24 May 2008

Who should finance Eskom?

The question of whether the government or the public should finance Eskom dominated the first day of hearings on Friday on the utility’s proposed 53% tariff increase. Eskom’s non-executive chairperson Valli Moosa opened the debate at the National Energy Regulator of South Africa public hearings, saying fiscal injections from government were needed.

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/ 23 May 2008

Eskom, govt under fire at power price hearings

The government and Eskom were criticised for the present energy crisis at Friday’s National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) hearings into the power utility’s request for a proposed 53% tariff increase. Eskom chairperson Valli Moosa and CEO Jacob Maroga said the increase was needed as the system was tight and the reserve margin was very low.

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/ 2 March 2008

Valli’s paradox

Bedrooms (or the Oval Office, as the case may be) and boardrooms: they tend to share a characteristic — closed curtains. And when you ask the big guy whether he’s been fooling around, literally or figuratively, the answer all too often is "trust me". But once in a blue moon a reluctant witness comes forward with a stained blue dress. Does Hillary trust her man? No way.

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/ 30 January 2008

SA mines set to resume production

South African mining companies were set to resume production this week after power failures brought the industry to a halt last Friday. Anglogold Ashanti said it expected all its mines would be in full production by the end of the week. Gold Fields spokesperson Willie Jacobsz said: ”All our mines are busy mobilising as the power flow is being restored.”

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/ 20 January 2008

Mahomed was an architect of the UDF

It is no accident that a meeting held to commemorate the life of Yunus Mahomed was attended by scores of luminaries from the African National Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF). Current and former Cabinet ministers paid tribute to their comrade, who died of a heart attack on January 6.

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/ 10 November 2007

Eskom wants to increase electricity tariffs

Eskom is looking at the possibility of increasing electricity tariffs by 18%, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) news reported on Friday. Eskom said the cost of building power stations — at R1,13-trillion over the next 20 years — and the rise in coal prices are to blame for the possible increase.

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/ 7 November 2007

New local diamond facility launched

Africa’s efforts to derive greater benefits from its mineral wealth were boosted on Wednesday with the launch of South Africa’s first black-owned diamond-cutting and -polishing facility. Southern Africa accounts for more than 40% of the world’s diamond output with Botswana being the world’s largest producer of the gem.