Cosatu: Gordhan ‘dropped the ball’ on Eskom load shedding claims
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says it is concerned over claims that President Cyril Ramaphosa was 'misled' by the Eskom board and Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan on the matter of load shedding.
On Thursday African National Congress (ANC) deputy president David Mabuza accused the Eskom board of misleading Ramaphosa on its ability to halt load shedding.
In December, Ramaphosa vowed that there would not be any load shedding from December 17 right through to January 13.
He made the promise after meeting the Eskom board at its Megawatt Park headquarters in Sunninghill.
But the struggling power utility has been unable to keep its end of the bargain, implementing rolling blackouts for the first time this year on Saturday.
Cosatu's spokespertson Sizwe Pamla says the federation was shocked to learn of these claims.
"We are very shocked and disappointed to hear that the president was actually misled in this situation, but we cannot allow for this to be the new normal. There has to be consequences," says Pamla.
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This comes after reports that the party cannot afford the January 8 Statement event and may not be able to pay January and February salaries. The party's Treasurer General, Paul Mashatile, says people who work for the ANC have all been paid.
Pamla believes heads must now roll.
"If he is being misled, those that mislead a sitting president in any normal society are actually asked to resign, which is what we are saying.
"(Public Enterprises) Minister Pravin Gordhan has dropped the ball here and something has to give."
He adds that the claims that Ramaphosa was misled jeopardises the president's credibility.
"If we are to continue to believe as a country when he tells us something, we need to trust and believe in him."
Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the keynote address at the ANC's 108th birthday celebrations on Saturday with the crisis at Eskom likely to be high on the agenda.
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