Load-shedding: DA launches petition asking government to 'give SA its power back'

The DA on Wednesday launched a petition calling on the government to “give SA its power back” and implement the party's cheaper energy bill.

This after Eskom announced on Wednesday that it would implement stage 3 load-shedding till 6am on Thursday.

“When the lights go out, people stop working, business shuts down and our country slides even further backwards,” the DA said.

Introduced in December, the bill proposes that Eskom be broken down into two separate entities of power transmission and generation. This, according to the DA, will allow independent power producers to compete in the sector.

Last year, the party said the bill is the only option for SA to ensure a profitable and efficient Eskom and an energy-secure SA. It called on all parties to back its bill, saying failure to implement it will lead to the collapse of SA.

On Wednesday, the DA said financially well-off municipalities must be allowed to procure power directly from IPPs, and called on municipalities to invest in smart meters which will ensure timely revenue collection to minimise debt owed to Eskom.

By Wednesday evening, over 3,000 signatories had backed the petition. Its target is 20,000 signatures.

Eskom said in a statement on Wednesday that there was “a high probability of load-shedding continuing on Thursday.”

This, it said, is necessary to “replenish diminishing emergency generation reserves”.

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