EFF statement on stage 6 rolling-blackouts due to the incompetence of Andre de Ruyter and Pravin Gordhan

29 June 2022

The EFF condemns the economically crippling rolling-blackouts, which rest squarely on the incompetent, corrupted and incapable hands of Andre De Ruyter and Pravin Gordhan.

In a shameful attempt at avoiding accountability, something characteristic of this regime, Gordhan today addressed a press conference in which he takes no responsibility for the rolling-blackouts which are destroying the South African economy, businesses and subjecting people to an undignified winter season.

It is an objective fact that the rolling-blackouts, which saw leaders of the whole continent subjected to darkness in Pan-African Parliament (PAP), have been a signature of this regime which is determined to collapse the South African economy.

This deliberate creation of a crisis, is done to rationalise the privatisation of all essential services in South Africa, energy generation included.

For Gordhan to blame the rolling-blackouts, which are due to no plan to increase energy generation capacity on protesting workers, is pathetic.

All South Africans must reject with contempt, the plot by De Ruyter and Gordhan to attribute South Africa's energy crisis on the legitimate strike by workers at Eskom.

The workers at Eskom have not received a meaningful pay increase in 4-years, yet Independent Power Producers (IPP) as well as misguided imperialist consultancy firms, milk Eskom and the State dry, while not resolving the energy crisis.

The continued funding of IPP's which are linked to the political elite such as Cyril Ramaphosa

and his in-laws, is unjustifiable in the face of permanent blackouts, yet these IPP's are not cited as wasteful expenditure. The core of the operations of Eskom, which is the workforce however is disregarded, demoralised, and intimidated, whenever they expose corruption, racism and ill-treatment.

It is an objective fact, that even if all workers who are on strike were to return to their posts as early as tomorrow, the rolling-blackouts would continue, as they have for almost two-decades.

The only sabotage facing Eskom is the continued mis-leadership of Gordhan and De Ruyter.

The only sabotage confronting Eskom is the insistence of privatisation through a parasitic relationship with IPP's which serve no verifiable purpose.

Pravin Gordhan and Andre De Ruyter have no legitimate claim to the positions of Minister of Public Enterprises and Eskom CEO respectively.

The smokescreen that they stand between Eskom and corruption is a tired smokescreen, which avoids the basic fact that they have not been fired due to racial-favouritism.

There is no black person in a senior position who would still remain in their positions, while presiding over permanent darkness in South Africa.

As long as Gordhan and De Ruyter remain in their positions, then small business owners, large business owners and ordinary people must forget about improving their lives and emerging out of demoralising poverty.

Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 29 June 2022