The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for Eskom Group CEO Andre De Ruyter to be sacked. The party is accusing him of failing to fix the problems faced by the power utility.
EFF Member of Parliament, Piaba Madokwe says there should be consequences against senior executives at Eskom who are not doing their jobs.
“We need to stabilise coal prices including cancelling Exaro corrupt contract. Number 2, we need to fire the Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter and COO Jan Oberholzer and appoint a new competent executive with engineering qualifications. (They must be) competent and must come with operational generation experience. How is it that the power unit four in Medupi fall because there was none who was monitoring it? And Jan Oberholzer was not fired nor suspended. There is absolutely no consequence management that was taken against these incompetent old white male,” says Madokwe.
Eskom has been implementing Stage 2 loadshedding since Tuesday and is expected to continue till Monday.
Eskom to address the media on current system challenges:
IFP MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa says the entity is failing to deliver on its primary mandate.
“Eskom has become a curse in every household in our country. Why? It’s because this entity is unable to deliver on its fundamental mandate, which is to generate enough energy to our national grid. With almost weekly breakdowns with other related maintenance issues, it is clear that our energy infrastructure is ageing faster than Eskom can get its affairs in order.”
The National Freedom Party has defended the Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan and Eskom Group CEO Andre De Ruyter, regarding their handling of the energy crisis facing the country.
Speaking during a debate in parliament, NFP MP Shaik Emam said it was wrong to blame Gordhan and De Ruyter for the rolling blackouts.
“Minister Gordhan was not there. So, why are we attacking Minister Gordhan? CEO de Ruyter was not there. So, why are we attacking the CEO? Why are we attacking Ms Mavuso? She was never there. She is telling you exactly what has happened. Why are you not going and attack Chief Justice Zondo. Go and attack because he has said it in no uncertain terms that it is the ANC that is the root cause (of problems at) Eskom, to be where it is today and most of the corruption in most of the state-owned entities.”
