The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) says it is doing everything possible to end or minimise load shedding, and those who stand in its way will face the full might of the law.
This after opposition parties such as the UDM, IFP and Mmusi Maimane’s Build One SA, and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), joined hands in a bid to lodge civil process against Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan over the Eskom crisis.
The department’s new standpoint was in response to a letter from Mabuza Attorney’s which demanded that the department and Eskom make sure they bring an end to load shedding and revoke the 18.65% electricity tariff increase granted by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).
“We wish to assure the public that everything possible is being done to end or minimise load shedding,” said the DPE.
“However, those who are part of corruption, intimidation and abuse of procurement practices or obstruct government’s efforts to clean up each power station of such corruption, will face the full might of the law.”
“All South Africans must unite to eliminate this corruption. At the same time, Eskom is in the process of finalising its plans to take further urgent steps to stabilise the power station’s performance and reliability,” the DPE added.
The attorney’s letter – that government acknowledged- represents the views of opposition politicians and South Africa’s biggest labour unions.
“We demand that the state will commit to compensate everyone who has suffered quantifiable financial losses because of load shedding,” stated the letter.
If the government and Eskom choose not to comply with the demands by 20 January, they will face legal action, seeking relief for damage caused by the outages by 23 January, stated the letter.
Source: Business Tech IOL, image from Twitter: @Neo_Mabuse