Gordhan defends ANC government’s handling of Eskom problems

The Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has defended the African National Congress (ANC) government’s handling of the problems facing Eskom.

Responding to a debate in parliament on the energy crisis – Gordhan said not all ANC members were corrupt.

He said there are good men and women within the ANC.

“These are the honest people, who want the state to work for the people of this country and who want corrupt people like many of you have said to end up in orange uniforms. Those are the people like all of us … ensure that we leave behind the country of future generations that we as this generation can say we are proud of at the end of the day. So don’t call us all thugs, we are not. We are the people who are trying to fix South Africa. We are the people who are trying to fix institutions like Eskom. We will succeed at the end of the day,” adds Gordhan.

Economics Cluster Ministers answers questions in the National Assembly:

EFF calls for sacking of Eskom CEO

Meanwhile, 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 MP 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 Exxaro corrupt contract. We need to fire the Eskom CEO André de Ruyter and Eskom chief operating officer, Jan Oberholzer today and appoint a new competent executive with an engineering qualifications and must come with operational generation experience.”

“How is it that the power unit four in Medupi fall [fail] because there was none [personnel] who was monitoring it. Jan Oberholzer was not fired nor suspended. There is absolutely no consequence management that was taken against these incompetent old white males,” explains Madokwe.