Eskom caves under DA pressure and resumes Lichtenburg electricity supply

21 August 2023

Eskom today caved into sustained DA pressure and resumed bulk electricity supply to Lichtenburg after 26 days of constant blackouts that had a disastrous impact on residents and businesses.

We welcome the resumption of bulk electricity supply in Lichtenburg, we will continue with our urgent High Court application to ensure that Eskom never again exploits a similar situation at the expense of residents. We asked for specific relief against Eskom’s arbitrary behaviour.

Since the start of the crisis on 27 July 2023, Eskom has been persistent in abusing the suffering of residents under an extended and avoidable electricity blackout as an unlawful debt recovery strategy.

Eskom has consistently acted in bad faith and in contempt of court. When it became evident that the DA will continue to pursue legal recourse, Eskom ignored our constructive engagements, yet changed its strategy to bring itself in line with a 2017 High Court judgement that only allows for the suspension of bulk electricity supply for maintenance purposes.

Bulk electricity supply to Lichtenburg could have been resumed by at least 11 August 2023, much earlier had Eskom attended to this crisis with the speed it deserved.

The financial impact of this disaster on residents and businesses is massive. The DA believes that there are grounds for civil claims against Eskom for businesses and residents that have suffered financial losses because of the sustained blackouts.

Issued by Leon Basson, DA North West Provincial Leader, 21 August 2023