‘Gimmicks and tricks’: Ramaphosa’s Tutuka visit to ‘understand’ Eskom issues gets mixed reaction

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Eskom’s power plant in Mpumalanga has been met with mixed reactions online.

The president led a high-powered oversight visit to the Tutuka power station at the weekend.

He was accompanied by public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan, energy minister Gwede Mantashe and police minister Bheki Cele.

According to Ramaphosa, the visit was to engage management and employees to gain an understanding of the challenges affecting the generation fleet.

Ramaphosa said fraud and corruption are among the station’s “enormous” challenges.

“It’s very pervasive in the power station, with a number of people involved in fraudulent activities and theft to the point where the theft and fraud make it challenging for the station to operate optimally when there are shortages of spares and when they are stolen,” he said.

“That problem is being attended to Corruption is being dealt with and people are being arrested as a result of the actions being taken by management. We are grateful for that.

“It is quite challenging, to the point where some managers have to get protection because they are threatened when they deal with corrupt activities.”

The visit drew mixed reactions from many, including One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane and EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu, who said it was all “gimmicks, tricks and shock” from Ramaphosa.

“We are tired of gimmicks, tricks and shock from this man. We don’t need public relations. We need a stable power supply to give the economy room for growth,” said Maimane.

Shivambu said: “The outgoing and soon-to-be impeached Ramaphosa is grandstanding. What understanding does he seek to get about Eskom when he’s deliberately destroying the utility to make space for his European and American IPP handlers?”

Here is a snapshot of what many had to say: