Johannesburg - ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have slammed the Eskom management for its shocking announcement of two-year-long permanent load-shedding.
On Sunday, Eskom chairperson Mpho Makwana indicated that South Africans might have to endure stages two and three load-shedding for the next two years. Makwana said this was to ensure that the power utility was able enough to undertake maintenance of its generating units.
DA shadow minister of energy and minerals Kevin Mileham said the party rejected this unprecedented announcement, adding that it showed how far the ANC had failed to keep the country’s lights on.
"The DA rejects this unrelenting punishment of ordinary citizens, and it's precisely why we have declared Wednesday a national day of action. We will be marching to Luthuli House to protest against ANC load-shedding and unaffordable, unfair electricity price increases. It is time that power is given back to the people," he said.
The DA, which is set to march to the ANC offices at Luthuli House on Wednesday, has put the blame for Eskom’s demise right at the door of the ruling party. Mileham said Eskom’s announcement was in contrast with the utterances made by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who recently said the Eskom issue would be resolved in no time.
"What is more infuriating is that the ANC government has, for the past week, been telling the country outright lies to the effect that load-shedding will be a thing of the past. First, it was Gwede Mantashe who said he could end load-shedding in 6 to 12 months, and then Enoch Godongwana who claimed that power cuts will end in 12 to 18 months. Eskom has rubbished these claims and placed the country on permanent load shedding for two years with no guarantees after that," Mileham said.
Mashaba has also blamed both Ramaphosa and Mantashe for the current energy crisis in the country. Mashaba added that Makwana’s announcement was ludicrous at the very least.
"This ludicrous announcement makes it clear that there still is no coherent plan to get us out of this mess nearly 15 years after load shedding began,“ he said.
"This announcement directly contradicts that of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who have frequently claimed that load shedding would be a thing of the past in the next 6 to 12 months.
"The president and his sidekick are either oblivious to the truth or have blatantly lied to the nation. Either way, they clearly have no grip on this crisis and no plan to address it," Mashaba added.
The Star