EDITORIAL: Roadmaps that lead us in circles

The time for empty promises about ending the rolling blackouts that are costing the economy billions is over.

Who can believe the government’s hype about a drastic-sounding “energy emergency”? The intention, apparently, is to cut regulatory red tape so as to bring new generation capacity online faster.

This response to Eskom’s most recent near-collapse has been likened to the measures that were introduced to fast-track the response to Covid. Except we’ve been hearing for years that load-shedding will soon be a thing of the past — and yet, here we are again, at the mercy of the ANC government’s failures.

We know that there’s a compelling argument to be made for easing the regulations around adding new capacity to the ailing grid. But we also know that easing procurement regulations exposes SA, once again, to the hyenas (inside and outside the ANC) that lie in wait for such an opportunity.  Think Digital Vibes.

Frankly, the ruling party has now resorted to just throwing new words at the same old, ever-deteriorating problem.

Again this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised to end the crisis. For him to be believed, South Africans need to start seeing results. And fast. After all, we have been here many times before. 

In the four years since Ramaphosa took office, we’ve had the special cabinet committee on Eskom, the Eskom technical review panel, the Eskom political task team chaired by Deputy President David Mabuza … the list goes on. 

Ramaphosa has used his weekly newsletter to allay fears about the perennial power crisis at least four times in the past three years. Every bout of load-shedding — each seemingly worse than the last  — is accompanied by a mouthy missive, laden with promises of which his ministers are either blissfully ignorant or that they botch during implementation. 

His administration has, since 2018, been banging the Eskom drum: the power crisis is a standing agenda item in every cabinet meeting, when Ramaphosa  receives a report from the ministers tasked with stabilising the electricity supply.  

After the country entered stage 6 load-shedding for the first time in 2019, Ramaphosa had this to say: “Our immediate priority is to get as much generating capacity back online within the shortest possible time. Eskom’s emergency response command centre and technical teams are working around the clock.”

In March 2021, on the back of a week of rolling blackouts, Ramaphosa wrote: “Resolving our energy challenges isn’t just urgent; it is fundamental to SA’s economic recovery. That is why we are making every effort to bring new power generation capacity online in the shortest possible time.”

Again in November 2021: “There are no easy solutions to load-shedding. However, we have developed a roadmap towards a revitalised Eskom within a transformed energy industry.” 

Just three months ago, yet another mind-numbing missive boldly proclaimed: “There is light at the end of the load-shedding tunnel! The reality is that the energy landscape is being transformed, the problems at Eskom are steadily being addressed and substantial new energy generation capacity is being built.”

In that letter, Ramaphosa also told the nation that experienced former Eskom technicians and station managers are being brought back to help with maintenance. 

This week, he was at it again: “We can and will do more to end load-shedding.” 

Ramaphosa has squandered the goodwill showered upon him when he took office. He has shown he cannot hold his own ministers to account by forcing action to end the country’s energy crisis. 

Wordy platitudes simply won’t cut it any more. Do the job, or move aside and make way for someone who can.