Missing maintenance money proof that Eskom’s power blackouts were avoidable
Reports this weekend once again exposes how tender irregularities and state capture contributed to the country’s latest wave of rolling power blackouts.
Reports alleged that funds meant for vital maintenance of power plants were diverted to the Kusile power station and other capital expenditure programmes, where looting took place through dodgy tenders. The previous boiler maintenance contract was also reportedly not renewed by Treasury as it was an illegal tender. Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has reportedly stated that funding for maintenance began to disappear 5 years ago.
This is a damning indictment on the failing ANC government and how the ANC-sponsored corruption at Eskom has plunged our country into darkness.
These reports once again prove that the electricity crisis was avoidable and that the ANC’s corruption, tender irregularities and state capture has had hemorrhaging effect on our economy and has affected the livelihood of millions of South Africans.
To put it into perspective, for every stage 4 power blackout, around 14.8% of the population or 8.5 million people do not have power. It is therefore abundantly clear that under the current administration the power utility will remain broken. The power utility has been broken by the failing ANC government and they have proven that they are incapable of fixing this crisis.
As a country, we are still waiting with bated breath for the arrest of those mixed up in corruption, looting of Eskom and other state-owned entities. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently mentioned that allegations of sabotage at Eskom power stations were being investigated, however the only saboteurs at Eskom has been and continues to be, the ANC.
Unlike the ANC, the DA has zero tolerance on corruption, and anyone found guilty of corruption will be jailed for 15 years.
On Friday, 29 March 2019, we call on all South Africans to come out in their numbers us to send a clear message to Cyril Ramaphosa and his ANC government that South Africans have had enough of ANC corruption, mismanagement and capture.
Statement issued by Natasha Mazzone MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, 24 March 2019
