SA needs energy security, ANC’s Pule Mabe tells Eskom

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe has criticised Eskom for persistent load-shedding, saying South Africans should look to their own sustainable electricity supply.

Mabe was briefing the media at the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg this week. 

This comes as the country experiences various stages of load-shedding implemented by the embattled power utility.

“This is no longer 1975, when our people relied on primus stoves and candle lights, things have changed. We need energy security, so we can aid and boost efforts towards economic reconstruction and recovery,” said Mabe. 

He dismissed claims that ANC leaders were not experiencing load-shedding like the rest of the country. 

“We also are load-shedding. We are not off the hook. When our people in townships, in informal settlements, in suburbs, in apartments or wherever they are found, face the devastating effects of load-shedding, we too as leaders of the ANC are affected by that.”

The ANC national executive committee noted “with grave concern” the energy crisis in the country and called for immediate interventions to alleviate the plight of South Africans, as well as the pursuit of longer-term systematic interventions to ensure sustainable energy security.

It called for load-shedding to be kept at lower levels and be phased out in the medium to long term. It also urged the government and Eskom to communicate with affected communities and act decisively against sabotage.

Among other things, it urged Eskom and the government to increase maintenance and improve existing supply, get proper skills and experienced mentors at the power utility, facilitate private investment in new-generation capacity and speed up the repurposing of power stations with alternative energy sources.

'Load-shedding expected for the next few weeks’

Eskom said load-shedding would continue for the coming weeks, despite some generation units having been returned to service over the past few days.

“This is not sufficient to suspend load-shedding, as other generation units have had to be taken offline for repairs. Load-shedding will continue being implemented at varying stages during the next few weeks as the generation capacity shortages persist,” the utility said. 

“Eskom cautions the public that it will still take a few weeks for the power generation system to fully recover to pre-strike levels. Eskom will communicate and implement any changes as may be necessary.”

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