South wants NamPower excluded from Sored
Communities feel blindsided
As southern leaders forge ahead with plans to establish SORED, communities say it's just another way for directors to enable corruption, nepotism and favouritism.
Hardap regional council chairperson Gershon Dausab says removing NamPower from the Southern Region Electricity Distributor's (SORED) plans won't affect electricity supply.
The Keetmanshoop municipality held several community meetings earlier this month to mitigate growing frustrations from community members surrounding the establishment of SORED.
"We are not excluding NamPower only. There's logic behind it and it was recommended to us based on electricity distribution in a report by the Electricity Control Board.
“The recommendation stated that NamPower should be excluded from all remaining regional electricity distributors (REDs)... We only see the problems surrounding NamPower's involvement in the other REDs, and I don't see how it helped secure electricity supply to REDs.
“Local authorities have the jurisdiction to supply electricity to their respective inhabitants," Dausab said.
He further explained that NamPower - being the primary supplier - will still supply electricity to SORED, but will have no stake in the electricity distributor.
Electricity will then be bought by local authorities and regional councils from NamPower and it will continue to receive payments from these bodies.
Blindsided
Last week, a group of angry community members marched to the Keetmanshoop municipality to deliver a petition highlighting their concerns about SORED. They said with another electricity supplier will come a hike in tariffs, which would be disadvantageous to them.
Keetmanshoop currently makes use of the Keetmanshoop Electricity Business Unit (KEBU), and residents said those tariffs are fair.
"We don't see any benefit from the establishment of SORED. SORED is created as the middleman to make electricity unaffordable for the residents.
“So-called directors create platforms for them for possible corruption, nepotism and favouritism," the petition read.
According to community members, leaders also failed to consult them about the establishment of SORED.
Positive
According to Dausab, the community knew about SORED’s establishment since it was first mentioned in 2015.
Meanwhile, during another community meeting, he said the National Electricity Fund (NEF) had agreed to inject N$30 million into SORED over the next seven to 10 years.
SORED could look expect N$30 million profit annually without any increase in levies, he added.
The leaders last week met with energy minister Tom Alweendo in Windhoek and have since given the SORED concept to him for documentation.
Dausab said an advisory document compiled by a technical team was sent to the attorney-general, who approved it after making small changes.
It was then sent to the rural and urban development and energy ministries for consideration.
The Keetmanshoop municipality held several community meetings earlier this month to mitigate growing frustrations from community members surrounding the establishment of SORED.
"We are not excluding NamPower only. There's logic behind it and it was recommended to us based on electricity distribution in a report by the Electricity Control Board.
“The recommendation stated that NamPower should be excluded from all remaining regional electricity distributors (REDs)... We only see the problems surrounding NamPower's involvement in the other REDs, and I don't see how it helped secure electricity supply to REDs.
“Local authorities have the jurisdiction to supply electricity to their respective inhabitants," Dausab said.
He further explained that NamPower - being the primary supplier - will still supply electricity to SORED, but will have no stake in the electricity distributor.
Electricity will then be bought by local authorities and regional councils from NamPower and it will continue to receive payments from these bodies.
Blindsided
Last week, a group of angry community members marched to the Keetmanshoop municipality to deliver a petition highlighting their concerns about SORED. They said with another electricity supplier will come a hike in tariffs, which would be disadvantageous to them.
Keetmanshoop currently makes use of the Keetmanshoop Electricity Business Unit (KEBU), and residents said those tariffs are fair.
"We don't see any benefit from the establishment of SORED. SORED is created as the middleman to make electricity unaffordable for the residents.
“So-called directors create platforms for them for possible corruption, nepotism and favouritism," the petition read.
According to community members, leaders also failed to consult them about the establishment of SORED.
Positive
According to Dausab, the community knew about SORED’s establishment since it was first mentioned in 2015.
Meanwhile, during another community meeting, he said the National Electricity Fund (NEF) had agreed to inject N$30 million into SORED over the next seven to 10 years.
SORED could look expect N$30 million profit annually without any increase in levies, he added.
The leaders last week met with energy minister Tom Alweendo in Windhoek and have since given the SORED concept to him for documentation.
Dausab said an advisory document compiled by a technical team was sent to the attorney-general, who approved it after making small changes.
It was then sent to the rural and urban development and energy ministries for consideration.
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