Ghaleb Cachalia

Dear MyPE Eskom’s constant push for higher tariffs and the sobering reality that it has become operationally incapable of meeting electricity demand, is a contradiction that confirms that Eskom’s broken model has run its course and cannot be allowed to continue. The Democratic Alliance (DA) is therefore calling for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry to look into the operational, financial and governance constraints at Eskom, and the impact it is having on livelihoods, … [Read more...] about Calls made for a commission of Inquiry into the operational viability of Eskom

Dear MyPE President Cyril Ramaphosa, during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last night, announced the creation of three new agencies, one commission and one council to “fast-track” and “accelerate” the implementation of various pipe dreams and empty promises. (See: Sounds Like?) The Democratic Alliance (DA) is of the view that the establishment of these five new state-owned entities (SOE) are nothing short of an attempt by the ANC government to further centralise its current … [Read more...] about Government wants to create centralized SOE model

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) rejects the decision taken by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to allow Eskom to recoup over R6 billion from consumers through tariff increases. It is projected that this decision will result in a 10,95% increase in tariffs, an above inflation increase that will increase the economic pain of consumers who have been hard hit by an underperforming economy and job losses due to Covid-19. We now call on South Africans to write … [Read more...] about South Africans called upon to reject the impending electricity tariff increase from Eskom

Dear MyPE It has been 15 years since Eskom’s rolling blackouts brought inconvenience and economic decline to South Africa. And, 15 years of repeated empty promises by an incapable ANC government vowing to fix this crisis. Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will expose the 18 times the government misled South Africans on its efforts to turn things around at Eskom and to bring an end to rolling blackouts. November 2007- Eskom says Medupi and Kusile will be completed by 2015 and will … [Read more...] about 18 Times government misled us about Eskom and rolling blackouts

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will ask Parliament’s Ethics Committee to issue a caution against Deputy President, David Mabuza, over misleading statements he made on the completion of Medupi Power station. In June 2020, while addressing an oral question session in the National Assembly, Mabuza stated that “Eskom has committed to completing Medupi and Kusile power stations by the revised dates of 2020 …and 2023 respectively.” In September 2020, Mabuza continued with his … [Read more...] about Did Mabuza mislead Parliament on the completion of the Medupi power station?

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has serious concerns about the consequences of the recent series of rolling blackouts announced by Eskom late this morning. In particular, we fear the impact that these blackouts could have on hospitals where people are fighting for their lives on ventilators as well as the repercussions it could have on the administration and the storage of vaccines when they arrive on our shores. We call on the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, to … [Read more...] about Load shedding concern over hospitals and vaccine storage

Dear MyPE Government had been spending more money than it received for more than a decade and instead of approaching the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for funding or pursuing sensible privatisation options that include strategic private sector equity partners it appears hell-bent on pressing ahead with a scheme which potentially opens our pension pot – larger than Germany’s – to risk. Despite Eskom being “in a utility death spiral as well as a debt spiral” according to Olga … [Read more...] about Eskom’s desperate move to access pensions

Eskom once again plunges SA into darkness Dear MyPE South Africa has once again been plunged into darkness this morning when stage 2 load shedding was implemented countrywide due to the delay to return five generation units to service and a further two units went offline. Eskom has issued warnings of a "severely constrained" power system and has urged "the people of South Africa to reduce electricity consumption in order to help us power the country through the evening peak." This … [Read more...] about Hello Darkness my Old Friend

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Eskom to provide the nation with daily updates and forecasts on the status and stability of the power grid. This follows the admission by Eskom’s COO, Jan Oberholzer, at a media briefing this morning that due to the neglect of the utility's power plants, the grid remains unpredictable and unreliable. This admission seems to indicate that as the country is gradually moving out of the hard lockdown, we are now slipping back into a complete … [Read more...] about Calls on Eskom to provide daily updates and forecasts on the status of the grid

That is if Ramaphosa is serious about power stations sale Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Tuesday that he is open to the idea of selling some Eskom power stations to private investors. While addressing the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) yesterday, President Ramaphosa said that selling off Eskom power stations “will help the local communities in those towns [where Eskom power stations are sold to private investors … [Read more...] about Eskom should start advertising today

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that municipalities will now be allowed to purchase power from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) after the Democratic Alliance (DA) had been calling for this for many years. However, we believe that President Ramaphosa’s announcements will mean nothing unless set timelines are urgently announced that will tell us when to expect delivery on promises. It will not be the first time that we have heard … [Read more...] about Please act now President Ramaphosa

Dear MyPE Eskom's announcement of today's Stage 2 blackouts confirms that it is in a death spiral and that it is time for the ANC government to get out of the electricity generation business and give the power to generate electricity to the people. The ANC government and its utility Eskom, are unable to meet our nation’s energy needs, and there is no plan to fix this. The DA firmly holds that Eskom's constant limping from light into darkness cannot continue. Eskom continues to suffer … [Read more...] about Today’s blackouts confirm Eskom’s death spiral

Dear MyPE Eskom's warning today of a heightened risk of blackouts this evening again shows that it is in a death spiral and that it is time for the ANC government to get out of the electricity generation business and give the power to generate electricity to the people. We hope, for all South Africans, that today’s warning does not come true and that the power stays on tonight. Frankly, the ANC government and its utility Eskom, are unable to meet our nation’s energy needs, and there is … [Read more...] about Further evidence of Eskom’s death spiral

Dear MyPE Eskom is implementing stage 4 loadshedding until 6am tomorrow. COO Jan Oberholzer says this is due to the fact that there has been no proper maintenance over the past ten years. Despite the dire warnings, the writing on the wall, the increased tariffs, the failed interventions, all plans have failed. South Africans in all walks of life are carrying this burden. Businesses are buckling because of this. Our key public enterprises are clearly unable to deliver public goods. … [Read more...] about The writing is on the wall for Eskom and our economy