Stakeholders have welcomed the Pretoria high court ruling ordering the government to ensure public hospitals, clinics, schools and police stations are shielded from load-shedding.
The judgment came after an application brought by 19 organisations, including opposition parties, NGOs and individuals.
The interim order, which must be implemented within 60 days, states the minister of public enterprises “shall take all reasonable steps ... to ensure that there shall be sufficient supply or generation of electricity to prevent any interruption of supply as a result of load-shedding”.
The IFP, one of the applicants, said it firmly believes that “without such energy sources the constitutional rights of citizens to health care, security and education are infringed upon”.
The party said the impact of load-shedding on public healthcare facilities, schools and police stations has a much more devastating impact in rural areas, where these facilities are often under-resourced.
This has led to loss of life in hospitals, where life-saving equipment cannot function without power, said IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa MPL.
“Schools have lost untold hours of teaching time, often even closing for the day. This means that not only do the children fall behind in their studies but are also deprived of a hot meal provided by the school. Crime, which is already a huge threat to our society, has also flourished under the cover of darkness while police stations are unable to operate,” said Hlabisa.
The IFP will closely monitor minister of public enterprises Pravin Gordhan's actions to ensure the order is obeyed and Eskom and concerned municipalities are instructed to institute the necessary exemptions.
South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) spokesperson Nomusa Cembi also welcomed the ruling, saying it will help to ensure teaching and learning are not affected.
“We have said that we want to see the government finding ways to make sure that we aren't disturbed when there is no power,” she said.
The South African Medical Association (Sama) shared the same sentiment, saying the ruling will help health facilities to provide services.
Sama secretary-general Cedric Sihlangu said: “Health is a basic human right and load-shedding does take away that right as it causes deaths that can be prevented. We have surgeries, operations and a lot of procedures, and when there is load-shedding during those operations, that compromises many patients.”
Sihlangu said the ruling will play a huge role in saving lives.
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Court ruling exempting hospitals, schools, police stations from load-shedding welcomed
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Stakeholders have welcomed the Pretoria high court ruling ordering the government to ensure public hospitals, clinics, schools and police stations are shielded from load-shedding.
The judgment came after an application brought by 19 organisations, including opposition parties, NGOs and individuals.
The interim order, which must be implemented within 60 days, states the minister of public enterprises “shall take all reasonable steps ... to ensure that there shall be sufficient supply or generation of electricity to prevent any interruption of supply as a result of load-shedding”.
The IFP, one of the applicants, said it firmly believes that “without such energy sources the constitutional rights of citizens to health care, security and education are infringed upon”.
The party said the impact of load-shedding on public healthcare facilities, schools and police stations has a much more devastating impact in rural areas, where these facilities are often under-resourced.
This has led to loss of life in hospitals, where life-saving equipment cannot function without power, said IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa MPL.
“Schools have lost untold hours of teaching time, often even closing for the day. This means that not only do the children fall behind in their studies but are also deprived of a hot meal provided by the school. Crime, which is already a huge threat to our society, has also flourished under the cover of darkness while police stations are unable to operate,” said Hlabisa.
The IFP will closely monitor minister of public enterprises Pravin Gordhan's actions to ensure the order is obeyed and Eskom and concerned municipalities are instructed to institute the necessary exemptions.
South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) spokesperson Nomusa Cembi also welcomed the ruling, saying it will help to ensure teaching and learning are not affected.
“We have said that we want to see the government finding ways to make sure that we aren't disturbed when there is no power,” she said.
The South African Medical Association (Sama) shared the same sentiment, saying the ruling will help health facilities to provide services.
Sama secretary-general Cedric Sihlangu said: “Health is a basic human right and load-shedding does take away that right as it causes deaths that can be prevented. We have surgeries, operations and a lot of procedures, and when there is load-shedding during those operations, that compromises many patients.”
Sihlangu said the ruling will play a huge role in saving lives.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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