The country is on the precipice, even if the government tries to obfuscate and apportion blame for power generation failures on others.
The bigger question today remains, what is happening at Eskom, and how are we to resolve this huge challenge and avert an impending disaster of a full-blown blackout, which is a remote possibility?
Recently, a new board was installed to great excitement and there was great jubilation as there was a congratulatory spirit that a solution to address and alleviate power challenges was at hand.
The extent and scale of loadshedding have worsened and is now prone to intermittently reaching stage 6 – a situation that is at odds with any attempt to address our huge unemployment challenges, job creation efforts as well as fixing the stagnating economic prospects – attributes that greatly negate appetite for investments.
Today, we address ourselves most specifically to the Eskom board led by its chairperson, Mpho Makwana – a candid man known to some of us for his honesty and exceptional capabilities in whatever assignment he undertakes. Would it be asking too much if the board were to take us into its confidence, explaining in detail where Eskom is heading to in terms of sorting out its power generation difficulties?
So far, it has all been quiet and we think it would be in the board’s best interest to open up to its stakeholders and be frank with us.
We are aware questions of sabotage have been raised – and that those who stand to benefit politically and financially may have a hidden hand behind this. We deplore any attempts by anyone, whatever their political interests, to behave in a way that is detrimental to the national good.
The security cluster should not sleep on the job but should investigate and arrest the perpetrators.
We believe that in such a crisis moment, the board must be hands on and communicate with us on a regular basis regarding the status of the organisation, and the difficulties it may face, and not leave everything entirely on Eskom’s management team, which South Africans appear to have lost confidence in.
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, in a casual manner, this week said: “Eskom by not attending to loadshedding, is agitating for the overthrow of the state.”
What does this mean if it is not supported by context? We have Mantashe trying to absolve the government, and his ANC, from this electricity crisis. His government, and the ANC are inextricably linked to what is happening at Eskom.
The government is a shareholder and the ANC as the governing party must ensure all is well at Eskom. To pretend otherwise would be less than truthful.
The people’s patience is running out; businesspeople are experiencing a nightmare, understandably so. Life as we know it has been difficult. Loadshedding has other negative effects: it allows crime to fester. Already the police are not coping in protecting citizens against crime. With the absence of electricity, the problem is exacerbated.
Can President Cyril Ramaphosa also share with the nation what is really happening on this matter? This is urgent.
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