Tasol Solar denies tender claims

6th June 2013 By: Sapa

Tasol Solar Energy Solutions (TSES) has denied being awarded the multi-million rand tender at the centre of court a case brought by Numsa against Joburg City Power.

"[The company] and its product range... was never awarded an R800-million contract by City Power," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) brought an application in the High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday for City Power to disclose details of the tender. The case was postponed until Tuesday.

TSES was not a part of the court process in any way, it said on Wednesday.

Numsa has claimed that City Power awarded TSES the tender to supply and install low pressure solar water geysers.

It wanted to know on whose instructions the tender was awarded, as it was concerned about the jobs in the local solar geyser manufacturing sector.

TSES also denied a claim by Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese that it was importing geyser units from China, when these could have been locally manufactured to support employment in the metal industry.

The company said its locally-produced product range was manufactured at a production plant in Alberton.

"All our locally-produced products are certified by the SA Bureau of Standards," it said.

On Tuesday, Ngobese said the government's programme of rolling-out a million geyser units by 2014 was ideal for the local sector, but was being hindered by the large scale importation of solar geysers.

"Since the announcement of the roll-out programme, this sector is bleeding and is under distress, as on a daily basis jobs are being lost amidst the triple crisis of poverty, unemployment and inequality."

At the time, City Power spokesman Sol Masolo said the utility was leaving the matter in the hands of the court.