Page 3 - JCCI Business FOCUS Vol2 No4

FUELLED BY THE DEMAND FOR

NATURAL GAS

THOKO MBATHA basis to markets situated far In addition, it is globally considered “SLG’s success has been company. As such it ensures that
is the Group Chief from the network. SLCNG has to be one of the best energy fuelled by our customer-centric its customers can consolidate
MExecutive Officer of since grown to become one of the solutions for fuelling vehicles, approach. We tailor gas delivery their natural gas procurement
Spring Lights Gas (Pty) Ltd largest suppliers of CNG in South including forklifts and buses. solutions for each customer. to take advantage of its B-BBEE
(abbreviated to SLG) the second Africa. SLG has been operational Their requirements spearhead ownership and management.
largest natural gas trading in Gauteng since May 2016 and is The increased use of gas allows our offering and we are able to Mbatha is committed to the
company in South Africa. He has currently the second largest gas local companies to participate in respond to their needs swiftly. company’s role in alleviating South
served the company in various trader in the province. addressing the national agenda To ensure effective use of our Africa’s high unemployment rate,
capacities since joining it 14 years around power. Currently, 65% of product, we offer them training which it attributes to a lack of
ago and has been instrumental in Much of the company’s growth the country’s energy relies on coal, on combustion engineering, and requisite skills, amongst others.
facilitating its growth. has been fuelled by the demand for which is of concern as this resource most importantly, on the safe and
natural gas, an environmentally is depleting. Power stations that Consequently, SLG’s corporate
SLG commenced operations in friendly energy source that is produce electricity from coal are efficient use of gas,” he adds. social investment programmes
July 2002 in Durban South and has cleaner than coal. Gas is the becoming increasingly inefficient In line with the company’s support the advancement
since grown through connecting cleanest-burning hydrocarbon, both in terms of output and cost. ambition to further grow its of these skills at historically
various industrial and commercial producing around half the carbon Relatively speaking, it is also much market in Gauteng, it has disadvantaged community
end-users to piped natural gas. dioxide (CO2) and just one tenth of quicker and cheaper to build a gas established an office in Bryanston schools by donating resources
Currently, SLG supplies a number the air pollutants generated by coal. power plant compared to a coal where it employs specialist such as science and computer
of industrial and commercial power plant. business developers. The company hardware and sponsoring
companies situated in KwaZulu- Natural gas (in the form of is working towards enhancing its laboratories for Science,
Natal (KZN), the Free State and CNG and Liquefied Natural Gas “With rising fuel costs, capacity and gas availability to Technology, Engineering and
Gauteng through a well-built (LNG)) can be used for a variety converting to gas has direct ensure that it has sufficient natural Maths (STEM) programmes. n
pipeline network. In addition, of applications including but economic benefits to end-users, gas to meet additional demand.
since 2015, its subsidiary SLCNG not limited to power (electricity) as it is cheaper than diesel, petrol T: 031 812 0555
(Pty) Ltd has supplied Compressed generation, thermal heating and in and liquefied petroleum gas,” SLG prides itself on being Smart Access Number: 0800 075 427
Natural Gas (CNG) on a portable some cases as a chemical feedstock. says Mbatha. a black owned and managed W: www.slgas.co.za

THE NATIONAL CREDIT AMENDMENT BILL 2018

David Rosin B.Proc (Law) Wits ■ the introduction of mandatory the preceding six months and that these obligations are to be to have a significant impact
credit life insurance on all who owe less than R50 000 extinguished. on the lives of thousands of
t the end of March 2017, credit agreements of longer in unsecured debt relating to The Amendment Bill, should ordinary South Africans as well
24.68 million consumers than six months but less than credit agreements, to make an it pass and be assented to by as large parts of the finance and
Awere credit-active in R50 000 in value to prevent application to the National Credit the State President, is expected banking sectors. n
South Africa, of which 14.99 lower income groups from Regulator for debt intervention.
million were in good standing. falling into over-indebtedness
The balance either had impaired due to changes in their financial The Bill envisages that these
records (three or more payments circumstances. obligations will be suspended
or months in arrears) or ‘‘adverse The Bill also aims to limit the for a period of maximum 24
listing’ (a judgment or an wide-spread abuse of consumers months, to allow the consumer
administration order). by unscrupulous lenders and time to recover financially.
The Bill aims to provide to allow for simpler and more If, despite all obligations being
for capped debt intervention rigorous enforcement of the Act by suspended for 24 months, the
to promote a change in the providing for criminal prosecution consumer can still not pay,
borrowing and spending habits of lenders/credit grantors who ■ the consumer must be given the
of an over-indebted society. The contravene the Act. same opportunity as is given to
Bill will provide relief to South The Bill permits a person who, an insolvent consumer who
Africans who have no other as at 24 November 2017, earns does earn an income or has
effective or efficient options to less than R7500.00 per month assets and can thus be
extract themselves from over- and can prove that they have sequestrated.
indebtedness through: not earned this amount in ■ The Bill accordingly envisages

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