Minister Gordhan got it wrong, here is why the DA is calling for a State of Disaster on Eskom and the energy sector
Note to Editors: Please find an attached soundbite by Ghaleb Cachalia MP
In his rush to quickly dismiss the DA’s call for a State of Disaster to be declared on Eskom and the energy sector in South Africa, the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, completely misses the point and assumes that our call is only motivated by fear of a grid collapse.
While concerns about a grid collapse are legitimate, the premise of the DA’s call for a State of Disaster on the electricity crisis is primarily focused on addressing the lethargic pace at which policymakers and regulators have approached this looming national emergency.
What Gordhan exhibited in his parliamentary reply was a complete dereliction of duty in that while he acknowledges the real prospect of stage 8 loadshedding, he won’t declare a state of disaster to avert a blackout that would imperil critical infrastructure and the economy.
Waiting for stage 8 to manifest before action is taken is reckless and places South Africans in danger from the fallout that would ensue from a total grid collapse.