DA: Reconvene Parliament to deal with Eskom crisis

The current Parliament, the fifth since the advent of democracy, finished its work last week ahead of the elections on May 8.

Maimane also want the establishment of an ad-hoc committee to probe the energy issue.

Maimane briefed media on Monday morning at the DA’s headquarters in Bedfordview, where he outlined the party’s parliamentary plan of action.

The press briefing comes as power utility Eskom suspended load shedding on Sunday, after rolling blackouts gripped the country for an entire week.

“Parliament is where the people of South Africa get to have their voices heard. It’s where our businesses, hospitals and where communities get to give their voices through public representatives. They must reconvene urgently so that we can establish an ad-hoc committee, consisting of the portfolio committees of energy, public enterprise, trade and industry. This is on the basis of rule 253, which states that by resolution of the National Assembly, or that during an adjournment of the assembly of a period of more than 14 days, that the speaker in consultation with the whippery can urgently convene Parliament,” Maimane said.

The DA’s plan of action contains several solutions that it believes will solve the Eskom crisis.

Maimane has also called on DA supporters and South Africans to support the party’s day of action on Friday.

The party will march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where it will request the presidency to make public its plan to deal with the electricity problems.

“On Friday, I am asking all the people of this country, fellow South Africans we will be mobilizing across the country. We will be marching to demand this. We are calling this a national day of action. It so happens it will be the last working day in the month of March because on the 1 April South Africans will be waking up to a shock. The shock is that they are going to increase the cost of fuel as was tabled in the budget. We will be gathering together on Friday across the country and I am calling on the people of South Africa to gather together to make their voice heard on the crisis that is before them.”