Providing an update on the outcomes of ANC national executive committee meetings, Mbalula said there was consensus that more financial resources are required for Eskom to better deal with the energy crisis.
He said reprioritised funding should go towards ensuring the power utility’s debt is further serviced, protection of infrastructure, maintenance and upgrading and expansion of power stations and their capacity to add required megawatts to the grid, among other things.
This forms part of the ANC’s plan to push government to end load-shedding by the end of the year.
Mbalula said the ANC’s call for a state of disaster was based on lessons drawn from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“A state of disaster will help us to move with speed. The target of getting this done and dusted by the end of the year can move faster if have all hands on deck, address issues of procurement faster and mobilise resources where they are needed, particularly when it comes to maintenance.”
State capture under ANC government brought us load-shedding, says Mbalula
Image: Freddy Mavunda/Business Day
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says state capture under the ruling party’s government is to blame for Eskom’s ongoing load-shedding.
He said the governing party has always had an energy security plan but it was interrupted by years of systemic political corruption.
Speaking on Newzroom Afrika, Mbalula said the ANC had a well-written plan but it was interrupted by state capture.
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“We have supplied electricity rollout to poor households all over the country. Our problems started when there was state capture. Well-written plans are out there but state capture brought us to where we are.
“State capture under our government, that is why we said there was good and bad. What was bad was state capture. This is what we are dealing with,” he said.
According to Mbalula, the country needs a holistic mechanism to intervene and reverse load-shedding.
Reprioritise unspent funds to address load-shedding crisis, ANC tells government
Providing an update on the outcomes of ANC national executive committee meetings, Mbalula said there was consensus that more financial resources are required for Eskom to better deal with the energy crisis.
He said reprioritised funding should go towards ensuring the power utility’s debt is further serviced, protection of infrastructure, maintenance and upgrading and expansion of power stations and their capacity to add required megawatts to the grid, among other things.
This forms part of the ANC’s plan to push government to end load-shedding by the end of the year.
Mbalula said the ANC’s call for a state of disaster was based on lessons drawn from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“A state of disaster will help us to move with speed. The target of getting this done and dusted by the end of the year can move faster if have all hands on deck, address issues of procurement faster and mobilise resources where they are needed, particularly when it comes to maintenance.”
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READ MORE:
LISTEN | ‘The EFF is promoting anarchy’: Fikile Mbalula
ANC wants to use disaster rules to ease power crisis
WATCH | Awkward! Load-shedding interrupts Mbalula’s energy crisis briefing
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