Outraged stakeholders threaten Eskom with legal action

A number of law firms representing several stakeholders are demanding that the supply of electricity be stabilised, saying Eskom as an organ of the state is in breach of its constitutional duties.

They have written a letter outlining their demands to Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.

They have given government until Friday to respond to the letter or face legal action.

Those represented include the United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa, the founder of Build One South Africa Mmusi Maimane, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa).

One of the representing attorneys, Siphile Buthelezi, says as an organ of the state, Eskom is in breach of its constitutional obligations.

“We have been approached from all nine provinces. The clients have demanded that the transparency and accountability from the state, setting out a clear plan as to how it’s going to stop load shedding. The state has not been forthcoming as to the steps that it is taking to ensure that load shedding stops. What is it that will be done in future to ensure that no load shedding takes place and that they don’t lose businesses. We know that some of our clients have permanently closed their businesses. Some of our clients have lost jobs.”

Plea to respond to citizens 

Meanwhile, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa has made an impassioned plea to government to listen to the frustrations of South Africans over the country’s worsening energy crisis.

The power utility has downgraded its rolling blackouts from stage six to stage four.

This will continue until 4pm when stage five will be implemented.

#POWERALERT1

Stage 4 loadshedding will be implemented at 05:00 – 16:00 on Tuesday, followed by Stage 5
loadshedding at 16:00 – 05:00 on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/5xGUPaKQ7d

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) January 16, 2023

Holomisa, who is among those represented in the letter, says the African National Congress needs to swallow its pride and listen to the demands of the people.

Holomisa elaborates in the video below:

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