POLITICS

Dept to appeal judgement on loadshedding – Pravin Gordhan

Minister says judgment would undermine the very efforts to balance the protection of the rights that were ventilated in this case

Minister Pravin Gordhan appeals North Gauteng High Court judgement on loadshedding

8 May 2023

The Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr Pravin Gordhan, has announced that the department will be lodging an urgent appeal to set aside the judgment that was handed down by the North Gauteng High Court last Friday on load shedding.

Minister Gordhan said that the DPE has serious concerns about the implications of the court ruling on the current efforts to stabilise the national grid and get the country out of load shedding.

"The department has studied the ruling and has determined through legal advice that the prudent step to take is to lodge an appeal to set aside the ruling and allow for the ongoing efforts to end load shedding to proceed without putting undue risk on the country’s grid infrastructure," Minister Gordhan said.

“While the department respects the independence of the courts, in this case the department believes that the judgment would have unintended consequences and undermine the very efforts to balance the protection of the rights that were ventilated in this case, with the need to stabilise and protect our grid infrastructure," Minister Gordhan said.

Issued by Ellis Mnyandu on behalf of Department of Public Enterprises, 9 May 2023