EDITORIAL | Ministerial load-shedding battle latest delay in solving energy crisis

It is only a matter of time before the public completely loses confidence in the government as battles within the ANC delay plans to end of crippling power cuts.

With higher stages of load-shedding continuing indefinitely, the light at the end of the dark Eskom tunnel is getting dimmer by the day.

When President Cyril Ramaphosa established a ministry of electricity in February he was criticised for adding another layer of confusion to the pack of leaders meant to be dealing with the electricity crisis. Now, several weeks later, he has done nothing to convince us this was a good move. In fact, zero progress has been made.

Meanwhile Eskom is still without a permanent CEO after André de Ruyter, who had tendered his resignation last year, vacated the position while serving his notice.

His abrupt departure came after he dropped bombshells on the ANC’s alleged involvement in corruption at the power utility, claiming this to be the main contributor to the rotating blackouts.

But amid Eskom leadership drama, including the retirement of COO Jan Oberholzer, the country’s economy growth is taking a knock and consumers are facing yet another interest rate hike.

According to Investec, the back-and-forth moves between stage 5 and stage 6 load-shedding cost the economy R300bn last year.

The Reserve Bank’s estimates show that load-shedding had a negative impact of 2.1% on the quarterly GDP in the third quarter of last year, with agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors being the most affected.

Investec forecasted last month that the country’s real GDP will grow by a low 0.3% with a risk of an even lower number because of endless blackouts.

Meanwhile, the CEO seat is temporarily filled by the CFO Calib Cassim, but the power utility does not seem to be planning on appointing a new captain to steer the sinking Eskom ship any time soon.

Eskom chairperson Mpho Makwana said in an interview last month that effecting the new structure of the top management could take time.

This is because their “rich” list of candidates still need to serve their notices, which could take between three months to even a year.

Makwana’s explanation came after Ramaphosa appointed Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as minister of electricity.

Ramokgopa’s swearing-in was, incidentally, accompanied by a lowering of load-shedding stages, with some days experiencing no blackouts during the week of Human Rights Day. But it has been downhill since then.

The latest developments, reported by the Sunday Times this weekend, indicate that Ramokgopa’s hands are tied at the moment.

A battle has ensued between energy minister Gwede Mantashe and public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan, delaying Ramokgopa in executing his duties.

Government and party insiders state the two are opposed to granting Ramokgopa all the powers envisaged to procure new energy sources.

While Ramaphosa has denied such claims and emphasised that all three ministries are engaging on how to work together, South Africans might have to dig into their own pockets again to find other power sources while they wait for Eskom to get its house in order.

With winter looming and citizens feeling the pinch of rising living costs, South Africans are having their patience tested while they remain in the dark about when the electricity crisis will come to a final end.