Steenhuisen also criticised Eskom’s potential move from the department of public enterprises to the department of energy and mineral resources led by energy minister Gwede Mantashe.
“Nothing could better underscore the fact that while the ANC is in power, the electricity crisis is only going to get worse and worse. My advice to all households and businesses in South Africa, whether poor or rich, small or large, is to do everything you can to shield yourself from load-shedding,” he said.
“For as long as the ANC is in power, you will have less and less power. Eskom is in a death spiral and the government has no will nor intention to do anything about it because the ANC’s vast patronage network benefits hugely from the status quo.
“It is a brutally efficient extraction system that is plugged into South Africa’s energy system at every stage of the value chain and sucking it dry. South Africans, you are on your own.”
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‘SA is desperate for a sign of an end to the crisis’: Steenhuisen asks to meet Ramaphosa over load-shedding
Image: Freddy Mavunda
DA leader John Steenhuisen has bemoaned Eskom’s ongoing stage 6 load-shedding, asking to meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss government plans to resolve the power crisis.
In a letter dated January 12, Steenhuisen asked for an “urgent meeting” to discuss the “deepening electricity crisis”.
He said he wanted to hear first hand from Ramaphosa why government refuses to implement “very obvious solutions” to the crisis.
“I would like to understand why your government has been so lethargic and conservative in its response to this catastrophe. The solutions to the electricity crisis are no secret and have been offered to you by industry experts, independent analysts and us, the DA,” said Steenhuisen to Ramaphosa.
Load-shedding at stage 6 continuously until further notice — Eskom
According to Steenhuisen, the DA and energy experts proposed the following:
“South Africans are desperate for a sign there could be an end to the crisis. Our own voters ask us daily what is being done and when they can expect some form of relief. I need to know what to tell them, and so I respectfully ask that you meet with me for a thorough discussion of the issue.”
‘As long as the ANC is in power we will remain in the dark’: Parties slam Eskom’s potential move
Steenhuisen also criticised Eskom’s potential move from the department of public enterprises to the department of energy and mineral resources led by energy minister Gwede Mantashe.
“Nothing could better underscore the fact that while the ANC is in power, the electricity crisis is only going to get worse and worse. My advice to all households and businesses in South Africa, whether poor or rich, small or large, is to do everything you can to shield yourself from load-shedding,” he said.
“For as long as the ANC is in power, you will have less and less power. Eskom is in a death spiral and the government has no will nor intention to do anything about it because the ANC’s vast patronage network benefits hugely from the status quo.
“It is a brutally efficient extraction system that is plugged into South Africa’s energy system at every stage of the value chain and sucking it dry. South Africans, you are on your own.”
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
Ramaphosa says load-shedding is 'regrettable', acknowledges country’s frustration
POLL | Would moving Eskom to the energy department help solve SA’s power crisis?
‘It's a sad reality, and I'm the last person to lose hope’ — Tbo Touch reacts to stage 6 load-shedding
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