For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: DA warns Ramaphosa against declaring State of Emergency on energy crisis, Eskom denies discouraging switch to solar with possible R900 monthly tariff and, inflation surges to 7.4%, the highest in 13 years

DA warns Ramaphosa against declaring State of Emergency on energy crisis

The Democratic Alliance is warning President Cyril Ramaphosa against declaring a State of Emergency over the country’s energy crisis, saying it will reject such action.

The DA said a State of Emergency was too extreme and that it exceeded the bounds of reasonableness.

It largely blamed the crisis on administrative red tape and stonewalling by Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe of independent power production.

However, it said a “ring-fenced State of Disaster” should be declared on Eskom and the electricity sector, explaining that it would remove barriers for independent power producers to quickly bring generation capacity online.

Eskom denies discouraging switch to solar with possible R900 monthly tariff

Solar PV users could pay over R900 a month for Eskom's grid-tied electricity, based on the 2020/21 proposal from the power utility.

But Eskom says it is not trying to disincentivise people from opting for solar PV.

Eskom intends to submit a new tariff proposal to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa in August.

The application from 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 will be based on the principles of the 2020 plan, on which Nersa did not make a decision.

Democratic Alliance MP Kevin Mileham criticised Eskom for punishing homeowners and businesses seeking to install solar power systems.

inflation surges to 7.4%, the highest in 13 years

Stats SA reported today that annual consumer inflation spiked to 7.4% in June, from 6.5% in May.

The June rate is the highest inflation recorded since May 2009 at 8.0%, following the global financial crisis. 

Consumer prices increased by 1.1% from May to June, reflecting much pricier fuel.

Fuel prices were 45.3% higher in June than the year before - the biggest increase on record.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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