Steenhuisen: Outside experts needed to solve Eskom crisis
The DA says the time has come for President Cyril Ramphosa to dissolve the National Energy Crisis Committee as South Africa struggles through another bout of heavy load shedding.
Party leader John Steenhuisen says government needs to appoint outside industry experts to oversee the implementation of government’s response to the electricity crisis.
Steenhuisen addressed a virtual media briefing on Tuesday morning.
"It is abundantly clear that the energy response plan is dead in the water in the hands of the president’s crisis committee because it has become the scene of a political turf war between ministers and ministries,” he said.
"It is essentially a good plan, but both minister (of Energy Gwede) Mantashe and (Public Enterprises) Minister Gordhan should be kept as far away from its implementation as possible. The president himself must hand over the plan to someone who can and will see to it that progress is made."
Ramaphosa cut short his trip to the UK and US to address the electricity crisis following the implementation of stage 6 load shedding over the weekend.
Eskom announced a three-part programme on Monday to urgently procure additional generation capacity from independent power producers following weeks of blackouts.
Steenhuisen said there is also a need to expedite the outstanding independent power producers bid windows.
"The external expert will also have to have to facilitate a working relationship - a partnership, even - between Eskom, Independent Power Producers, and local governments. Because, for the foreseeable future, Eskom is still going to be central to our recovery, and it is critical that they are given the support they need.
"There are long-term interventions such as the long-overdue review of the country’s Integrated Resource Plan, expediting outstanding IPP bid windows, and encouraging private/public partnerships in infrastructure investment.”
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