The Democratic Alliance (DA) has reiterated that the country is being subjected to rolling blackouts and energy price increases mainly due to corruption and maladministration by the African National Congress (ANC) government.
DA leader, John Steenhuisen, has called on South Africans and organisations to join a march to Luthuli House on the 25th of January to protest against the electricity crisis.
Energy regulator, NERSA, recently approved Eskom’s tariff increase application, by 18.65%, for the 2023/2024 financial year. It comes as the country endures Stage 6 power cuts.
Steenhuisen made this announcement.
“I am inviting all South Africans, civil society, other political organisations, NGOs, CEOs, every South African who is sick to death of this government stealing money and making us pay for it, to join us at our national mass march in Johannesburg.”
EFF reaction
Meanwhile Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has warned that the energy regulator NERSA’s latest approval of electricity price hikes will deepen poverty across South Africa.
The EFF’s National Spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo, says they reject the new tariff hikes.
“This increase will put people further into extreme poverty and impact on the livelihoods that are already affected for a service that is not even being rendered efficiently, as we are continuously on Stage 6 rolling blackouts.”
ATM reaction
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) says it believes that the government does not have a solution to the country’s electricity crisis.
The ATM’s Spokesperson Zama Ntshona says the National Energy Crisis Committee has done nothing.
“There is nothing tangible that has been done by the National Energy Crisis Committee that was established by the president in August 2022. This is a clear indication that the government does not have a solution when it comes to this current crisis.”
