Incorporating
Nolene Martin
Exhibition Management Services
Tel: +27 (0)11-783-7250
Fax: +27 (0)11-783-7269
Fax to Email: 086-557-8511
Email: sales1@exhibitionsafrica.com
Web: www.exhibitionsafrica.com
Electric shock!
The near 32% price hike by Eskom has left consumers fuming as this will affect both business and householder budgets extensively. Some businesses have advised that the cost variation will be so extreme that they will have no option other than to resort to retrenchments. Householders claim having to renege on items such as school fees as their consumption budgets are already strained due to the economic situation.
According to a report in the Sunday Times on 28 June, residential fees are broken up in daily network and service charges and an energy charge per unit which differ from the one province to the next. The cascading effects of the percentage hike will be detrimental to business and residential consumers. Economist Mike Schüssler said that with the introduction of the new rates, consumers will pay more than in some American States. Thami Bolani, Chairman of the National Consumer Forum who will be holding a meeting in Soweto on 25 July said consumers had every right to feel betrayed by the regulator, which had “acted as Eskom’s rubber stamp.”
John Thomson, chief executive of Exhibition Management Services who will be hosting an electricity saving exhibition at Gallagher Convention Centre from 10 to 12 July says: “Instead of Eskom getting the basics of an uninterrupted electricity supply right before any discussions on tariff hikes they are putting the cart in front of the horse. On 29 and 30 June large parts of Johannesburg were again without power. We are able to host world class events such as the Confederations Cup but cannot look after our electricity consumers – not in business and not at home.”
Thomson says that the exhibition could not have come at a better time as products, systems and services on display will serve to assist business and consumers with solutions on how to reduce electricity costs including on how to survive on the new rates. “Life goes on and the Eskom fight is most certainly not isolated to my company. We are delivering a service to the public to stage this show to help them to introduce measures that can sustain their lifestyles and to provide the business sector with energy saving components so that the impact on financial results is not that severe.”
“We will also have an open forum for public debate on 10 and 11 July from 11:00 until 13:00 with several speakers who are specialists in their fields delivering papers on how to combat the cost crisis and to take questions from the floor, ” says Thomson.
While the outcry against the authoritarian behavior of Eskom and the regulator will continue for some time, consumers will simply have to take ownership of their consumption patterns, appliances and capital equipment in order to control their financial destiny.
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Solutions for electricity crisis
Following the initial upsets brought about by the electricity crisis in 2008, many companies in the supply chain for electrical products for business and residential applications have been inventive with new solutions. So its timeous that now with further power hikes looming, an exhibition, which will provide a platform for the display of new products and systems that can help to save on electricity costs, has been announced. The Star Energy Efficiency Exhibition – ElectricSave 2009 - will be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand from 10 – 12 July.
Teaming up with the Star and Pretoria News to host this ground breaking event is leading SA Organizer – Exhibition Management Services (“EMS”).
John Thomson, Managing Director of EMS stated: “There has been much too much talk, too little action and a lack of accountability by those responsible for the supply of electricity, which has motivated us to facilitate an event where companies and residents can take ownership of their own productivity, convenience and ultimately their own cost of electricity consumption. Our event is much more than an exhibition where marketers can meet potential users of their electricity saving inventions. It is an opportunity for networking and top quality speakers will give sound advice at an open forum at the exhibition where anyone may field questions to motivate public debate on how to best address their specific needs.”
The list of speakers is impressive and will cover wide ranging subjects, from technology solutions for industry such as power electronics and drives, through to electronic back-up systems and home insulation for residential properties. There will also be more general discussions around the benefits of energy efficiency.
Exhibits will include a wide range of products and systems for business and the home, from gas and battery powered solutions to solar products and energy saving lighting. “By now it is pretty clear that the cost of electricity consumption will increase substantially and that this will be passed on to commerce, industry and the consumer who is already hard hit by inflationary trends and the state of the economy in general. As an exhibition and event organizer we have decided that we want to be a facilitator to present solutions to business and the public in general. The combination of an exhibition, together with a platform for public debate, will be a proactive way of bringing those who implement the costs, those who offer cost benefit solutions and the user, together in one venue. An announcement of the final speakers, their subjects and the times for the presentations on 10 and 11 July will be made on 5 July,” says Thomson.
As electricity saving measures have become a priority for the entire family, and to make the show also of interest for the younger generation, an additional attraction of solar racing toy cars will be demonstrated. To further create interest in energy efficiency in general, the organizers and exhibitors will give away electricity saving products as prizes throughout the exhibition. Details will be announced during all three days of the show.
EMS has contracted South Africa’s leading supplier of exhibition and event infrastructure, Oasys Innovations, to build and maintain the event for the duration of show.
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