Stage 6 loadshedding – It could get worse as Ramokgopa doubles down on struggling coal-fired power stations
12 April 2023
"Renewable energy generation in South Africa will struggle to take off as long as the ANC continues to stand in the way of communities that are trying to free themselves from Eskom loadshedding. Just yesterday, the DA carried out an oversight visit to the town of Frankfort in the Free State where Eskom is trying to stop solar farms from supplying the community." - Kevin Mileham MP
The recent announcement by Eskom that loadshedding will be escalated to Stage 6 from 16:00 this afternoon is a direct indictment to the misplaced confidence in Eskom’s struggling coal-fired power stations by the Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
Ever since his appointment, he has doubled down on the unreliable coal stations by suggesting that their lifespan must be extended and the taxpayers foot the bill. Now the chickens have come home to roost as the country is plunged into yet another bout of stage 6 loadshedding with a possibility of further escalation.
What Ramokgopa and the ANC government fail to understand is that, and this has been the primary cause of the 16 year old loadshedding crisis, regardless of how hard Eskom runs its coal-fired power stations, they will never be able to meet South Africa’s current energy demand. That ship has sailed and as long as Ramokgopa and his ANC colleagues continue to beat this drum, South Africa will continue to be in the dark for years with devastating economic consequences.
The DA still emphasises the point that South Africa should be working towards a deregulated, competitive, reliable and affordable energy supply to end loadshedding. Several Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects are currently in the pipeline and every effort should be made to ensure that adequate support is provided for their connection to the grid in the shortest time possible.
Renewable energy generation in South Africa will struggle to take off as long as the ANC continues to stand in the way of communities that are trying to free themselves from Eskom loadshedding. Just yesterday, the DA carried out an oversight visit to the town of Frankfort in the Free State where Eskom is trying to stop solar farms from supplying the community.
The ANC's obstinacy is deliberately preventing South Africa's best and brightest, our innovators, our entrepreneurs, from stepping up to solve this critical problem. It's time for the ANC to get out of the way and allow the ingenuity of the people of South Africa to flourish.
Issued by Kevin Mileham, DA Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, 12 April 2023
