Those affected by load shedding deserve answers

The DA wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu on Thursday 6 March to request that he urgently grant a debate of public importance on the Eskom power crisis and confirmed load shedding.

“The Speaker is empowered through rule 104 of the rules of the National Assembly to place such an urgent debate on the order paper so that members of Parliament can address the issue immediately,” explains DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, Natasha Michael.

According to Michael there is no doubt that the latest developments within Eskom warrants such action.

“Eskom has admitted to a national power emergency following heavy rains that left coal stockpiles wet. The entity since had to implement a schedule of rolling blackouts for the first time since 2008.

“This load shedding will have a major impact on our economy and inevitably will result in job losses. With our economy already moving along so slowly, and facing many internal and external pressures, this announcement should be treated as a national crisis,” says Michael.

“South Africans deserve answers for why we are at this point again. It is unacceptable that six years after the last energy crisis, Eskom still has not managed to increase its capacity to deal with such challenges adequately.”

Michael believes that at the heart of the problem are construction delays at the Medupi Power Station.

“The project has limped from delay to delay and is running over budget significantly,” she says.

“The DA has taken every step possible to try and ensure that all those responsible for this, including the ANC-linked Hitatchi Africa, are held to account. But we have been blocked at almost every turn.”

According to her “the blame for the crisis must be placed at the door of Zuma’s ANC.

“They are more concerned with making money off of our energy woes than with fixing it. As a result, they have put us back in almost exactly the same situation we were in six years ago. This is shameful and unforgivable,” says Michael.

“The first step to address the issue must now be to ensure that the members of Parliament are provided an opportunity to debate the matter immediately and consider a way forward,” she concludes.