Alliance council tells Gordhan to 'stop the load-shedding’
The alliance political council has called on Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to ensure that load-shedding comes to an end.
The council, comprising of the SACP, Cosatu, Sanco and national officials from the ANC, met at Luthuli House on Monday.
Cosatu general-secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali says they briefed the council on their meeting with Gordhan, where they discussed load-shedding as well as the financial problems besetting Eskom.
"It was agreed that intervention should include an urgent establishment of a representative SOE council and an advisory technical task team specifically to achieve a turnaround at Eskom as a matter of urgency. The political council resolved to convene relevant deployees to consolidate a coherent response on ensuring sustainable energy security. It was resolved that this meeting should take place before the end of December 2018.”
He adds that a follow-up meeting will discuss the option of renewable energy.
Ntshalintshali says they will be also meet with mayors to discuss municipalities that are not delivering basic services.
“We will convene a meeting with premiers, concerned MEC's and mayors to address the long-term strategy dealing with the municipalities."
The council also discussed the reconfiguration of the alliance.
“It was agreed that the next alliance summit should receive a consolidated alliance position paper detailing the principles of a reconfigured alliance for consideration and implementation. The meeting reaffirmed the strategic relevance and centrality of the alliance in moving the National Democratic Revolution onto a second more radical phase and collectively driving its successful execution,” Ntshalintshali says.