Ramaphosa: We are paying continuous attention to Eskom
President Cyril Ramaphosa has again moved to assure South Africans that cash-strapped power utility Eskom would not collapse on his watch.
Ramaphosa addressed over 400 delegates at the Business Unity South Africa’s (Busa) economic indaba Sandton on Tuesday, where he and other government leaders joined to highlight a range of critical steps needed to salvage and revive the country's economy.
During the address Ramaphosa admitted the importance of state-owned enterprises, including Eskom for the growth of the economy.
Ramaphosa acknowledged the negative impact the spate of load shedding has had on the country’s economy in the last few months, saying the government must accelerate the introduction of new independent power producers.
"If there is any challenge that our country faces, as I have said ad nauseam, and all of you have said exactly the same. It is Eskom with our generation fleet that is old and needs a lot of maintenance and attention. We are paying continuous attention to it," he assured.
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BUSA: ANC cadre deployment crippling SOEs
BUSA kicked off its second Business Economic Indaba 2020 in Sandton on Tuesday where President Cyril Ramaphosa and other government leaders will highlight a range of critical steps needed to salvage and revive the country's economy. During the opening address CEO Sipho Pityana told delegates that the success of all state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including Eskom, is important for the country's economy.
Amid growing calls to disband the power utility's board and sack Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, the president told delegates that Eskom needed to improve technical capacity at management level.
"One of the things we have to do obviously is to streamline the leadership both at the oversight level, at Eskom itself and the board and management level.
"And I agree with you that increase technical capacity at the Eskom level. That is precisely one of the key challenges that we are facing today," he adds.
Earlier, Busa CEO Sipho Pityana warned against serving political allies amid the ongoing management crisis at power utility Eskom.
Pityana accused the African National Congress' (ANC) cadre deployment as having a hand in the of crippling several other SOEs.
In response, Ramaphosa moved to clarify that the governing party remains committed to effective governance.
"The governing party's conference in looking at the state owned enterprises came up a resolution which many people have not taken care to look at closely, Sipho.”
"Its said 'reposition the state-owned enterprises and reduce and eliminate interference'. What that meant is that let us allow our state-owned enterprises to operate effectively without undue political interference."
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