EFF statement on the meeting convened by Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa and Eskom board with political party leaders
16 November 2023
The Leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) participated in a virtual meeting convened by Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa and ESKOM Board with leaders of represented Political Parties in South Africa's Parliament. In the meeting, Mr. Ramaphosa opened with an objectionable and utterly false statement that the Government is not solely responsible for the provision of electricity and that we must all take responsibility.
This statement is not only objectionable, it is ludicrous and irresponsible because it is solely the ANC government that chose to appoint an incompetent Chief Executive Officer and senior management of ESKOM. All the boards and senior management in ESKOM are appointed by the ANC government and overseen by an ANC Minister.
After the objectionable opening of the meeting by Mr. Ramaphosa, ESKOM Board Members, the CEO and the so called National Energy Crisis Committee made presentations which basically conceded that ESKOM and the entire government are not in a position to resolve South Africa's electricity crisis within the next 24 months.
The current leadership of the Board and outgoing CEO categorically stated that even within the 24 months, there is no guarantee that the Available Energy Factor will be restored above 60% of South Africa's generation capacity.
In a decisive reaction to Mr. Ramaphosa, ESKOM Board and Management, EFF Commander in Chief and President Julius Malema first welcomed the resignation of ESKOM CEO and specifically asked the Board and Management of ESKOM as to what they did to stop load shedding the whole of South Africa on the 25th of December 2022 which cannot be done everyday.
The CIC Julius Malema then proceeded to categorically say that the 2nd person who must resign is Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa because he had repeatedly and perennially failed to provide electricity to the people of South Africa.
The CIC said that Mr. Ramaphosa must take full responsibility for the jobs that are being lost and small businesses that are closing due to lack of electricity. He said Ramaphosa has blood on his hands because people are losing lives when electricity dependent life support systems and machines switch on and off.
We as the EFF reiterate that Mr. Ramaphosa must step down immediately and the people of South Africa must come with a solution to the ESKOM crisis. There are people in South Africa who have previously stopped load shedding and brought South Africa into energy stability.
We should as South Africa unashamedly and correctly seek the guidance and knowledge of those who were able to provide reliable and dependable electricity to all and get rid of all manifestations of incompetence in ESKOM.
The problems of electricity supply in South Africa are man-made by people who want to destroy ESKOM so that they can privately generate electricity for their own greedy capitalist interests.
There are many reachable solutions in South Africa and in collaboration with progressive countries which will bring about energy stability. The crisis in South Africa is a crisis of leadership which is unable to assemble the most capable team of people to bring about the necessary stability to ESKOM.
The people of South Africa must now know that the power is fully within them to liberate themselves from an incompetent and directionless government. What we can state without fear of contradiction is that the current Political Leadership, the ESKOM Board and Management have no capacity and willingness to solve the problem of load shedding and electricity.
Mayihlome!!!
Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 16 January 2023
