Energy expert Tshepo Kgadima says that the current rolling blackouts imposed by Eskom are unwarranted.
He was reacting to the seesawing rolling blackout stages that have been instituted by power utility Eskom, which reached stage six at the weekend, leaving some households and businesses without power for up to four hours at a time.
Eskom has since announced that it would reduce rolling blackouts to stage five from midnight.
Kgadima blames the current rolling blackouts on greed and profiteering.
“We have demand at an all time low, 32 000 megawatts at any point in time, therefore there should never have been load shedding, but yet we’re going through load shedding. The reason we’re going through load shedding, it can only be down to one thing, and one thing only, the greedy profiteering by those that are in power. Because every time that there is load shedding, it is exceedingly profitable for them,” adds Kgadima.
The video below looks at Eskom’s rolling blackouts:
Eskom says it will procure additional emergency energy from Monday in order to keep South Africa’s lights on.
Eskom Group Chief Executive André de Ruyter made the announcement during an emergency media briefing in Johannesburg on Sunday.
De Ruyter says the grid is under serious pressure this week, forcing the power utility to replenish reserves to maintain a safety buffer.
Energy plan announced in July is being implemented: Prof. Azwimpheleli Mamphweli
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to return straight home after the funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II because of the energy crisis gripping the country.
