Lifting of state of disaster on power crisis shows that it was unnecessary
5 April 2023
The termination of the national state of disaster on the power crisis shows that the FF Plus was right from the start in saying that it is unnecessary.
When the state of disaster was announced during President Cyril Ramaphosa's SONA, the FF Plus immediately said that it is hard to imagine how it will offer any solutions to the current Eskom crisis.
And now the party has been proven right. One would be justified in asking what has changed in terms of the crisis and what has improved since the state of disaster was announced on 9 February.
Government is clearly only trying to avoid any court cases about the validity of the state of disaster, because it knows all too well that it is unlawful.
Solidarity and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) had indicated that they will challenge the validity of the state of disaster in court.
The only thing that has happened concerning the power crisis since the state of disaster was announced is the announcement, and subsequent withdrawal, by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, of Eskom's exemption from disclosing irregular expenditure.
The Minister could have used the state of disaster to justify the exemption, so, it is significant that the exemption was withdrawn at the same time as the state of disaster was lifted.
The FF Plus is still of the opinion that the ANC government exploits states of disaster for its own gain.
It is, therefore, unfortunate that my Private Member’s Bill concerning parliamentary oversight during a state of disaster was not adopted.
It was compiled when it became apparent that special regulations made it possible for the Covid-19 emergency fund to be looted without any proper oversight.
I will consider the possibility of resubmitting the Bill after making certain amendments. It is important to create a mechanism to prevent irregularities from occurring during a state of disaster in the future.
With the general elections next year, South Africa's voters can help to oust the ANC so that laws like these can be implemented that will eradicate fraud and corruption in the country, for everyone's benefit.
Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 5 April 2023
