Light bulbs to be outlawed?

Incandescent lightbulbs will be outlawed in every home and building -
but not immediately, as the government accidentally ordered.

On Monday the Department of Minerals and Energy's deputy
director-general for electricity, Nelisiwe Magubane, confirmed that the
regulations on lighting were wrongly issued without giving time for the
change-over.

"I think that was an oversight on our part and we will be issuing a
notice to that effect," said Magubane.

The regulations, gazetted in July, order that "energy-efficient fittings
must be used in all buildings except where a specific fitting is
required for some purpose and the nature of the purpose does not allow
an energy-efficient fitting".

The same section orders that street and highway lighting must be "energy
efficient" and licensees - municipalities and Eskom - must make sure
these are switched off during the day. Municipalities must be able to
switch off street lights remotely.

No date is specified, technically making these lighting regulations
effective immediately, instead of the 12- to 18-month delay planned.

The department wasn't aware of the error until asked about it by The Star.