BOSA launch petition against load shedding
According to BOSA leader, Mmusi Maimane, in reaction to the previous court ruling ordering the government to to instate uninterrupted electricity supply to the schools, hospitals and police stations, Gordhan challenged the court, taking it on appeal.
Members of Build One South Africa (BOSA) took to the streets to announce the launch of their nationwide public petition campaign to ensure that schools, hospitals and police stations are provided with uninterrupted energy supply on May 10.
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Together with their leader, Mmusi Maimaine, BOSA members were seen outside Bara Hospital chanting and dancing to political songs demanding that minister of public enterprises, Pravin Gordhan prioritise the mentioned facilities when it comes to the distribution of electricity.
According to Maimane, in reaction to the previous court ruling ordering the government to instate uninterrupted electricity supply to the schools, hospitals and police stations, Gordhan challenged the court, taking it on appeal.
“We strongly urge minister Gordhan to stop wasting time and tax payers’ money on frivolous court action and get on with serving the needs of our people.
“If Gordhan and his cabinet colleagues can receive uninterrupted electricity at their luxurious homes then there is no excuse for them to not provide electricity to the most important areas and that is what we are fighting for,” Maimane said.
He added that the cabinet ministers have been shielded from blackouts by the government spending more than R7 million to buy generators and inverters for them at their official homes.
“Over the past four years, South Africans have paid millions of Rands to foot the bill for water and electricity at ministerial homes across the country – amounting to just under R55 million. This is unconscionable.
“After last week’s court ruling ordering government to instate uninterrupted electricity supply to all public hospitals, schools and police stations, minister Gordhan wants to prolong this ‘human catastrophe’, legally, through the courts and will use our public funds and taxpayer money to do so through lawyers’ fees. “
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BOSA therefore wants to take action to restate their call to Gordhan to drop the court appeal, launch a public petition where South Africans can add their voices to this call, and to announce that they will pursue a mass protest action outside court on the day of appeal if minister Gordhan decides to proceed.
“We will be approaching every organisation that welcomed this judgment, including trade unions, DENOSA, SADTU and POPCRU. Additionally, we appeal to those inside the ANC and government who do not agree with Gordhan’s approach to speak up and sign the petition.
“We also wish to remind the minister that every death at a hospital without power, every crime that cannot be reported or investigated due to load shedding, and every child’s education that is affected by classrooms in darkness is on his hands.”
Maimane concluded that what South African residents are currently facing is a gross violation of Human Rights, not only in the health, educational and security sectors, but across all spheres of society.
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