An early morning picture taken at Matla power station in Mpumalanga. Eskom enforced Stage 6 load shedding on the country this past week. Picture: Dumisani Sibeko
AS SOUTH Africa’s ailing power utility Eskom enforced Stage 6 load shedding on the country this past week, which saw some parts of the nation left without power for 12 hours a day, Stage 8 looms large.
This is according to Abigail Moyo, spokesperson of the trade union Uasa.
Moyo said in a statement on Tuesday that as winter approaches and Stage 8 load shedding looming, South Africans are being held hostage by the government and have to plead just to receive essential services for which they already pay a hefty price.
“We are in for a difficult winter on the back of the persistent Stage 6 power cuts of late. As temperatures drop, power demand will increase, and misery will kick in for those who cannot afford power-generating alternatives. Eskom’s inability to maintain power plants and find efficient ways to produce more electricity reliably has resulted in new Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa warning that Eskom faces a shortfall of 8,000MW to 10,000MW this winter, which equates to Stage 8 power cuts,” Moyo said.
“During his State of the Nation Address in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the energy crisis a (short-lived) national state of disaster and deployed Ramokgopa. The government’s electricity crisis window-dressing efforts have left us where we were before – in a state going nowhere under the leadership of an inept government that fails to ensure the survival and well-being of the nation.”
She said further that industries, businesses and workers alike are crumbling due to the blackouts and the high cost of alternative energy generation.
“Learners whose parents cannot afford alternatives are forced to study by candlelight. The more prolonged power outages have also started to affect the water supply in some areas. South Africans are increasingly suffering from emotional well-being issues due to the stress caused.
“With all the so-called interventions, why is Eskom still failing to produce enough power? Research indicates that it is likely not due to ageing infrastructure alone, as is often claimed, as some of the oldest power stations globally work perfectly well if adequately maintained,” Moyo said.
She added that transparency is highly needed.
“Is the government really trying to remedy our electricity challenges, which they are fully to blame for, or are South Africans being taken for a ride? Without an efficient and sustainable power supply, industrialisation and economic production will suffer. Already, energy experts predict that the food distribution chain will show signs of failure soon.
“We cannot afford any more business closures and retrenchments with our already too-high unemployment rate. The looming Stage 8 outages will threaten jobs and income. Livelihoods are at stake. If we don't act decisively, we may not recover any time soon,” she further stated.
– BUSINESS REPORT