Cape Town – Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has contradicted claims made by ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, regarding the end of load-shedding in the country.
Ramokgopa said on Monday that it is unlikely that load-shedding will cease by the end of the year.
He made these comments during an assessment of the progress made at the Kusile power station, which suffered a collapse of its chimney.
“I did say that we are not going to end it by December. But by the end of December what we will show you is that there is significant improvement in the stages of load shedding,” EWN quoted Ramokgopa as saying.
Mbalula had previously expressed confidence that the government was effectively addressing the electricity crisis and that power cuts would be eliminated by the end of the year.
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Speaking during an interview with eNCA last week, Mbalula said: “I know from where I’m sitting [and] from the work that is being done by government and ministers and so on [that] before the end of the year, load shedding should be something of the past…
“I can assure that load shedding will be reversed and it will be dealt with decisively,” Mbalula said.
Ramokgopa acknowledged the possibility of higher stages of load-shedding during the winter season but assured that efforts were being made to keep it within manageable levels.
“I am saying this reluctantly because load-shedding is load-shedding, it is devastating to the South African economy.
“It will be very irresponsible of me to declare by decree there will be no stage 8.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that we don’t go to higher stages of load-shedding,” he said, according to Times Live.
At least three of the Kusile Power Station units are currently offline due to a flue gas duct failure which occurred during October last year – costing Eskom at least 2400MW of capacity.
The three units are expected back online later this year.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
