President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended Sylvia Lucas’ controversial utterances this week about load-shedding, saying the deputy chair of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) was misinterpreted.
Ramaphosa told the Cape Town Press Club that Lucas’ message was that load-shedding was just one of a number of challenges facing this country.
On Tuesday, the first day of the state of the nation address (Sona) debate, speaking in Afrikaans, Lucas told MPs that as soon as the president discussed an end to load-shedding in his Sona speech, Eskom announced stage 3 load-shedding. She described this as sabotage.
“Load-shedding isn’t the end of the world ... President [Cyril Ramaphosa] as soon as you talk about load-shedding, there is sabotage, we must look into that,” said Lucas.
The former Northern Cape premier’s remarks have caused outrage, with some saying they were flippant considering that load-shedding has affected the lives and livelihoods of many South Africans.
But Ramaphosa believes Lucas' comments were misinterpreted.
“The deputy chair of the NCOP did say load-shedding is not the end of the world, (but) I don’t think she meant it to mean that accept load-shedding because that’s what it is,” said Ramaphosa in response to a question about Lucas’ remarks.
He was heckled by some in the crowd at the prestigious Kelvin Grove Club in Newlands, Cape Town, as he sought to defend Lucas.
“I thought what she meant is ‘yes we’ve got a number of other challenges and load-shedding is one of them’ and that’s what I read into what she said.
“I’m sure possibly many people misinterpreted what she said and I’m able to say the interpretation should be ‘there are a number of other challenges that we have and we have to continue addressing load-shedding’,” said Ramaphosa.
This, he said was the reality because it is a major problem to all South Africans and wherever he goes, people are talking about it.
“The answer is we are addressing it. This is a problem that should have been attended to in 1998 and we did not heed the warning that was given. We have conceded that as a problem that has caught up with us.
“As they say the chickens have come home to roost.”
TimesLIVE
Ramaphosa says Lucas' comments on load-shedding 'misinterpreted'
Image: ESA ALEXANDER
President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended Sylvia Lucas’ controversial utterances this week about load-shedding, saying the deputy chair of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) was misinterpreted.
Ramaphosa told the Cape Town Press Club that Lucas’ message was that load-shedding was just one of a number of challenges facing this country.
On Tuesday, the first day of the state of the nation address (Sona) debate, speaking in Afrikaans, Lucas told MPs that as soon as the president discussed an end to load-shedding in his Sona speech, Eskom announced stage 3 load-shedding. She described this as sabotage.
“Load-shedding isn’t the end of the world ... President [Cyril Ramaphosa] as soon as you talk about load-shedding, there is sabotage, we must look into that,” said Lucas.
The former Northern Cape premier’s remarks have caused outrage, with some saying they were flippant considering that load-shedding has affected the lives and livelihoods of many South Africans.
But Ramaphosa believes Lucas' comments were misinterpreted.
“The deputy chair of the NCOP did say load-shedding is not the end of the world, (but) I don’t think she meant it to mean that accept load-shedding because that’s what it is,” said Ramaphosa in response to a question about Lucas’ remarks.
He was heckled by some in the crowd at the prestigious Kelvin Grove Club in Newlands, Cape Town, as he sought to defend Lucas.
“I thought what she meant is ‘yes we’ve got a number of other challenges and load-shedding is one of them’ and that’s what I read into what she said.
“I’m sure possibly many people misinterpreted what she said and I’m able to say the interpretation should be ‘there are a number of other challenges that we have and we have to continue addressing load-shedding’,” said Ramaphosa.
This, he said was the reality because it is a major problem to all South Africans and wherever he goes, people are talking about it.
“The answer is we are addressing it. This is a problem that should have been attended to in 1998 and we did not heed the warning that was given. We have conceded that as a problem that has caught up with us.
“As they say the chickens have come home to roost.”
TimesLIVE
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