Leratong hospice a first-hand example of load-shedding's impact

17 January 2015

Note to editors: The following remarks were made by Mmusi Maimane MP, DA Parliamentary Leader, to residents of Atteridgeville on the first stop of his Power to the People tour to consult South Africans on the real state of the nation.

It is good to be back in Atteridgeville today, this time to hear the views of the community on the state of our nation.

The visit to Leratong Hospice just across the street here has really humbled me. 

During a period in our country when so many are trapped in despair, it is individuals like Mr Shonisani Netfhikweta, general manager of Leratong, that give me hope. 

The hospice depends entirely on external funding and donations to operate, but still manages to provide invaluable care to terminally ill patients. In their time of greatest need, it is a pillar of support to its patients and their families.

Unfortunately the challenging job that Mr Netfhikweta and his team have taken on has been made all the more difficult by the electricity crisis.

The staff here are good people who should not have to deal with the constant power outages, sometimes lasting for two consecutive days. 

Mr Netfhikweta has shared with me a number of ways in which load-shedding has compromised their ability to provide care and support to those in need.

The generator they rely on has been so overworked that it no longer functions properly. Meanwhile the cost of the fuel can run up to R350 a day.

Food spoils when the fridges do not work and the use of gas for cooking is not ideal for patients with fragile health.

At night they have to rely on candles for light, a major safety risk given that many of the patients are bed-ridden.

In winter months they cannot afford to run heaters on the generators and have to stretch their already minimal resourcing further to buy additional blankets for the patients. This constant draining of their income means there is not enough money to cover the big expenses, like the machines they use for disinfecting bedpans, that no longer work. 

It is heart-breaking to see how the terminally ill are having their quality of life further impacted by power outages.

Power cuts will intensify in February as the electricity crisis deepens, putting more and more strain on institutions like Lerathong.

I have made a donation to the Leratong hospice today and I want to challenge South Africans to do the same.

The people here in Atteridgeville have spoken: load-shedding is undermining human dignity. It compromises our ability to care for the sick and with each passing month, placing more strain on community care facilities.

The people should not have to suffer for Eskom's mismanagement. It is clear that they can no longer provide the reliable electricity supply that South Africans need.

Instead of blaming Apartheid for today's mismanagement, President Zuma needs to announce plans to end the Eskom monopoly by immediately allowing independent electricity producers to contribute to the country's power needs. It no longer makes any sense to rely on Eskom for 95% of our electricity - they are simply incapable of providing it.

In these difficult times for South Africans, we must commend the gallant efforts of people like Mr Shonisani Netfhikweta and his hard-working team. Their selfless dedication to the wellbeing of others is an example that we would all do well to follow.

Our government might have given up on South Africa, but it is clear that our people have not.

Power to the People! Amandla!

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane MP, DA Parliamentary Leader, January 17 2015

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