Hundreds of coal haulage trucks gathered in Marabastad in Pretoria on Wednesday, ahead of a planned march on the Union Buildings to protest the government’s stance on renewable energy producers. Trucks, drivers and suppliers for 52 companies that haul coal for Eskom are protesting President Jacob Zuma’s announcement in February that contracts with bidders in a fourth round of independent power producers (IPP) will be concluded. The Coal Transportation Forum, representing the companies, maintain that procuring billions of rands in renewable energy would create crippling job losses in the coal sector. Truck drivers in Marabastad declined to talk, saying their owners were fighting the battle, but forum spokeswoman Mary Phadi said the state was pressing ahead with contracts despite lower than projected economic growth: "Going into IPP will close mines. The power stations are going to be affected; Witbank will become a ghost town." Widespread traffic disruptions in and around Pretoria we...
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