• Thabile Mange writes:
During the apartheid era townships had no electricity. It was normal but unacceptable. After the dawn of the new democracy, black areas were electrified. There was a light at the end of the tunnel.
Fast-foward to today. The country is suffering from electricity blackouts. And some white areas are not affected by the electricity challenge. It’s like in the olden days. The more things change the more they remain the same.
This year, we’ve had more load-shedding than any other year. The Eskom CEO is already talking about Stage 15. In simple terms, things are going to get worse. That means there is no end in sight.
Also read: Load-shedding: The long, grim tale of SA’s rolling blackouts (2007– )
Interestingly, Eskom is demanding a 32% annual tariff increment. For what exactly? That’s absurd. The electricity utility is failing to keep the lights on. I hope Nersa will turn its demand down.
Not long ago, load-shedding reached Stage 6. Are the Eskom board and management to blame? No, they are not. They are used as a scapegoat. If management can be changed, as it is demanded by some, and as it has happened in the past, blackouts will remain.
Interestingly, the positions of two cabinet ministers responsible for Eskom are not threatened, though there are growing calls for them to be sacked. In a normal democracy, the ministers would have tendered their resignations voluntarily.
Strangely, Eskom load-shed public hospitals. Why? I do not know why. But it does not make sense. It is putting the precious lives of patients at risk. Sama has appealed to the electricity utility to exempt hospitals. It is yet to respond.
On the other hand, there is a rumour that some ANC MPs and leaders are excluded from load-shedding. I hope that is not true. Otherwise, that will be hypocrisy of the highest order by Eskom and governing party leaders.
Load-shedding has been going on for more than eight years. It has affected many businesses and contributed to high unemployment rate. But the government is not treating this matter with a sense of urgency. This shows that there is no political will to end load-shedding.
