In My View: Eskom – when will you get your house in order?
Last week, was a miserable week with loadshedding up to three times a day.
Annoyed, angry, irritated – there are a lot more words to describe how I felt on Tuesday this week when Eskom decided to switch off the lights. It was not loadshedding, but load reduction. Many people are unaware of or don’t experience this version of the power utility’s ‘loadshedding’.
It was utter disbelief when the lights went out at 5am.
Last week, was a miserable week with loadshedding up to three times a day. And to be given the same treatment this week, but calling it something else – Eskom – when will you get your house in order.
According to Eskom, load reduction is implemented in areas with higher than normal power usage due to illegal connections, which puts a strain on the national grid. And the person who pays for this transgression with lights out, is obviously not the person who has connected illegally (it doesn’t matter to him if he has electricity or not) but the person who pays the bill on time.
Why does Eskom have to lump everyone in the same category?
With loadshedding, Eskom informs the public about pending black outs via its app (efficiency at its best). However, load reduction schedules are only shared on Twitter.
How many people have Twitter accounts?
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Although I have made it a point to check, which I did the previous evening at about 9.30 – nothing shared, so no load reduction.
Lo and behold – I was so wrong and I had a few choice words when everything went dark around me. Loadshedding, load reduction – what will it be next?
Probably blackouts for days because Eskom is in the dark about how to solve a problem that has worsened over the years.
It seems loadshedding/load reduction has become a permanent solution – where ordinary citizens have to put up with it.
But for how much longer?
Also this week, City Power in Johannesburg is investigating the alleged electrocution of a young couple who had just returned home from their honeymoon. It is believed they made several reports to City Power about electrical faults at their home before the incident.
The powers that be have launched an investigation into the allegations that the couple were killed by a faulty electrical connection due to an illegal connection in the area. If this is the case (investigation pending), then it’s a little too late.
Should everyone be afraid of the simple act of turning on a tap in the home, not knowing whether they will live to see another day or not.
Parastatals such as Eskom and many more can be money-spinners for the government, but sadly many of them are sinking ships – looted and plundered over the years.
And who pays the price – the man on the street.
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