Johannesburg — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed its disappointment with Eskom’s decision to enforce loadshedding on Joburg due to municipality failures.
Eskom announced earlier this week it would implement loadshedding in Joburg as City Power’s account has fallen into arrears of up to R6.3 billion. The DA said it was disturbed by the allegations of malpractice and mismanagement at City Power, resulting in the Joburg teetering on the brink of power interruption from Eskom, a statement read.
“The DA in Johannesburg is extremely concerned about the impact on lives of residents and businesses in the city that this avoidable load-shedding will have. Law-abiding residents have been paying their bills and will now be unfairly treated by having their electricity cut due to no fault of their own but because of the ineptitude of the ANC-EFF-ActionSA-PA coalition in the city,” the DA’s Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said.
She said the City Power’s failures are due to the negligence of the ANC’s Executive Mayor, Dada Morero, adding that the DA has fought for the exposure of City Power’s failures in governance and management as it has remained unchecked for nepotism, cronyism and failures in oversight.
“Reports from credible sources suggest a deliberate order to withhold this information, an action that raises serious concerns about transparency within City Power,” she said.
💡Eskom has decided to enforce loadshedding on Joburg due to the municipality’s failure to settle its Eskom account. Eskom announced this drastic action on 7 November after Joburg’s City Power allowed its account to fall into arrears to the tune of R6,3 billion.
The DA in… pic.twitter.com/pc155FvVar
— DA Gauteng (@DAGauteng) November 8, 2024
The DA has called for accountability from the ANC-ActionSA-EFF coalition and has requested the Special Investigating Unity (SIU) to investigate the allegations.
“The DA stands firmly for transparency and accountability. We are liaising with law enforcement agencies and other government bodies to address this breakdown in governance and ensure Johannesburg’s residents receive the services they deserve,” she added.
In response to Eskom’s announcement, City Power and the City of Johannesburg issued a rebuke against the loadshedding announcement, The Citizen reported.
City Power’s Tebogo Moraka said Eskom failed to provide clarity on disputed billing charges and forced the city to seek legal recourse to protect the rights of citizens.
“We urge Eskom to retract its public notice and engage in genuine, good-faith negotiations to resolve these matters constructively,” Moraka said.
He added that Eskom’s plan to pay now and resolve later has worsened the financial strain on the city, saying the city is now consulting its legal team to find ways to prevent any electrical supply disruptions.
“We urge Eskom to reassess its stance and engage with the city in finding a mutually beneficial resolution. In the meantime, the city has formally requested that Eskom retract its public notice within five days,” he said.
City of Johannesburg and @CityPowerJhb Denounce Eskom’s Threat to Disrupt Electricity Supply. #SaveEnergyJHB #JoburgServices ^LM pic.twitter.com/XQY6UZmQwb
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) November 8, 2024
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Unsplash
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Matthew Petersen
