iPAYIPI public hearing -- book now!

SPIGOT has got to hand it to iPayipi, the wonderfully-named consortium still persisting in its attempts to build a pipeline from Durban to the Reef in the teeth of what looks very like Cabinet opposition. Readers will recall how the Cabinet sneaked in approval for Transnet Pipelines' proposal before the public participation processes regarding iPayipi's scheme had been completed. To lesser mortals that might have seemed like the end of the iPayipi dream but messers Nather, Jawoordien and Co are obviously made of sterner stuff. At the end of this week public hearings are going ahead. It appears that the consortium is asking for a licence to build not one, but three pipelines: a 26-inch, 590-km long pipeline from Durban to Leandra; a 22-inch, 100-km long pipeline from Leandra to Alrode; and a 20-inch, 130-km long pipeline from Leandra to Waltloo. Pretty brave stuff, considering they don't yet have the money (among other things). Whatever, let's hope our brave newshounds roll up on Friday, 31 August, at Kulawula House, 526 Vermeulen Street, Arcadia, Pretoria at 9am to report. To make it easy for them, Spigot suggests they telephone Herbert Chiloane at 012 – 401 4656 to get a seat. Alas, Spigot cannot be there, since it would be interesting to see how many oil industry executives turn up. Rumour has it that they are actually behind the iPayipi application.